


The Reaper Quest Adventurelogues

by A Melon Most Bitter (Darwise)



Category: HEARTBEAT (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2020-09-24 04:55:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 129,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20352745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darwise/pseuds/A%20Melon%20Most%20Bitter
Summary: When Nyx is left home alone to watch the Sunwich Shoppe for a week, several questionable decisions are made that irrevocably change her life. Finished parts of an on-going Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) story taking place on the HEARTBEAT discord. Choice options and status notifications have been left unaltered to preserve the original feel of the text. Rated M for occasional crude and suggestive jokes, and eventual graphic depictions of violence & horror. Potential spoilers for the plot of the main game, and bonus game; having knowledge of both is strongly recommended. (AO3 version Now up-to-date as of 12/27/2019)





	1. Arc 1: Part 1

You are Nyx Ronove: Reaper, and pactmate to two generations of human ambassadors.

But none of that matters right now, because at this moment, you are **incredibly bored**.

Eve and the rest of your newfound "family" have all gone to San Junipero to visit relatives, leaving you behind to housesit for the next seven days. Your current Conjurer was thoughtful enough to leave you 50,000 yuan for spending money, a copy of the housekeys, and a new cellphone. "Just in case something happens, or you decide to go hang out and meet new buds!", as Eve had put it.

That was six hours ago. It's midday, and you are currently lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling of what was once the guest room. Once you made it perfectly clear that you were absolutely unwilling to share a room with Klein, Liang gave you free reign of the guest room, which in all honesty, you left exactly the same. It's not like you have much to your name other than the clothes on your back. Which brings you back to your current issue. This kind of boredom isn't good for your health.

Quite literally.

You've gotten so used to following Eve around on her daily rounds, that you've nearly forgotten just how much you can't stand being left alone with your thoughts. Part of being a Reaper means that in exchange for your abilities, you are also far more susceptible to emotional turmoil than other Mogwai; to the point where **staying too stressed for too long can lead to you getting sick, temporary lapses in judgement... or worse**. Your thoughts naturally tend to drift to unpleasant places, so the best way to keep healthy is to keep busy.

Your current mood is: **Cranky**. You'll probably feel better once you eat something.

All in all, you've got free reign of the house, zero obligations, and seven days to spend as you see fit.

What do you do?

[] Grab your things, and go outside; figure out where to go from there.

**[X] Familiarize yourself with your new phone.**

[] Turn the radio on and listen to some jams, you don't feel like going anywhere just yet.

You reach into your back pocket and pull out your new phone. Eve was kind enough to buy one with a hard-shell case preinstalled, and you should probably thank her the next time you see her. You quickly set up a lock-screen passcode, and thumb through the basic settings.

It's all very straightforward, and you really don't feel any need to download any apps at the moment; you do however, notice that a message has been saved in the notepad app. Curious, you tap the screen, and see a message left behind by Eve:

"Hey, guessing you figured out how to use your phone by now, and I totally forgot to mention it earlier, so I'm leaving it here: gramps said not to touch any of the stuff in the fridge. That stuff's all for baking! Also, make sure to water the plants in his room every two days! I left my cell in the contacts. Klein's too, so if anything happens, call!

~Eve

P.S. - I thought you could use some company, so I told Beck to tell Io that you have a free crib!"

You groan at the mention of Io. It's not that you dislike her, but sometimes she doesn't know when to dial back her enthusiasm; and the idea of you two spending the entire week together makes you feel **slightly anxious**.

You slide out of bed, and grab your keys and wallet off the shelf. If Io's already on the way over, then you intend to be somewhere else in the meantime. You tighten your scarf, check your wallet, and make your way downstairs and out the door, making sure to lock the door on the way out.

You've got a few options in which direction to take, but your first thoughts are still steering you towards getting something to eat.

Where will you go?

**[X] The Sewers. You can alchemize something, then go check out another town if you feel like it.**

[] Solburg via Corona Woods. It's a beautiful day out, and a stroll through the woods might do you some good!

[] The Wukong Hobby Shop. You've got some money to burn, and you still haven't gotten very far with your collection...

You head toward the sewers. You don't have any materials on hand, but you're more than willing to pay extra if it means getting something good to eat. You climb down the manhole, and right away, you can tell that something is different. Instead of the usual open gate that normally greets you, you instead see a long pathway with a right turn at the end. You debate internally on whether or not to go back topside, but decide against it; at the very least, you should check in and see if Ven and the Rakshasa brothers are okay.

You continue on until you reach the turn in the path. You round the corner, and are greeted by a lone werewolf leaning back against what appears to be a dead end. Her eyes are closed, and her posture is slouched, but you can tell that she's aware of your presence.

"You lost, kid?" Her voice is disarmingly smooth, and doesn't match up with the grimace her snout makes as she speaks.

"I'm looking f-f-for the alchemy s-s-s-s-shop." You say. The werewolf quirks an eyebrow at your stutter, then smirks. She probably thinks that you're intimidated by her.

"Yeah, about that. It's... under new management now. Yeah, that's it. You want in? You pay the door fee. 20,000 yuan."

You hear several footsteps behind you, but you don't take your eyes off of her for a moment. This is clearly a shakedown, and you're about to become their next mark.

How will you approach the situation?

**[X] Put her on ice, Literally. Overwhelm the leader, with a surprise attack, and hope the rest back off.**

[] Hand over the money. You aren't looking for a fight.

[] Ghost em. Turn invisible, and make a break for it!

"Fine." You grumble. "You w-want money? Here."

The werewolf in front of you raises a claw out expectantly as you reach behind your back. What she doesn't expect is the torrent of ice and snow that flows from the scythe you just summoned. You hear the others behind you curse and jump back as you swing the blade in a wide arc around you before concentrating your magic back towards the leader. She puts up her hands in front of her face to shield herself, but the blast of ice is too strong, and she falls onto one knee in submission.

"It's too c-c-c-c-c-cold! No more!"

Before you can let off of the attack, you see her face turn upward into a cruel smile, and you feel something cold press into your neck and-

**BZZZZZZZZZZZZT**

You lose complete control of your body and flop to the floor, convulsing as one of the other mogs behind you held you down with their stun gun. You manage to stay conscious long enough to see the ringleader get back up on their feet, walk up to you and kneel down by your face.

"See, we were just gonna take the money and be on our way, but now? Now you've made it personal."

She rises up, and rears her foot back for a kick. Thankfully, you black out before it hits.

Two hours later, you wake up in the sewers feeling extremely sore, and disturbingly lighter than usual. You rub your face, then pull back with a wince when you feel a tender spot just beneath your left eye. As your hand drops down to your chest, you notice something important missing.

"My jacket!"

You pat your back pocket, and feel nothing there.

"My wallet! My phone!"

Fearfully, you look towards your neck and see that your most treasured item is missing.

"**MY SCARF!**"

You double back the way you came as fast as your feet can carry you, dead set on catching the thieves who wronged you. You're so **angry** right now, that you nearly trip on the ladder rungs as you climb back up. When you reach the surface, you flag down the everyone in the vicinity and ask them if they saw any mogs running out of the town recently. One person mentions seeing a dog lady run out into the forest a few hours ago. It's vague, but it's definitely the best lead that you have at the moment.

You glance towards the forest, but before you can go, you feel a warm hand grip you on your shoulder.

"Heeey! Finally found you!"

You recognize that bubbly voice as none other than Io. You aren't really concerned about her at the moment, as there are clearly more important things to be aware of.

Io however, doesn't seem to share that sentiment, as she steps right in front of you before you can move away. She opens her mouth to say something, but the missing clothes, and the look on your face is more than enough to make her reconsider it.

"Whoa, who beat you up and took your lunch money? You look like crap."

At least for the moment.

How do you respond?

**[X] Explain the situation, and ask for her help.**

[] Explain nothing, but ask if she saw any strange Mogs on the way over.

[] Cry.

[]Write-in

You take several deep breaths. The first one is to calm your nerves, and the second is to keep you from snapping at Io. She has no filter, and it's something that you've learned not to hold against her personally. When you finally feel calm enough to speak, you explain the situation in great detail. When you finish, Io pulls you in close for a tight hug.

"Awww, don't worry sis, we'll get your stuff back. Everything'll be just fine!"

She rubs her hands in small soothing circles on your back, and when she pulls away, she offers you one of her pocket snacks, which you accept. The heat makes you unconsciously relax a bit. You're still **very upset** about what happened, but Io's enthusiasm has you feeling a bit more confident about your odds.

"So, first thing's first, we should totally call your phone. If you locked it, then maybe they like, dropped it somewhere close when they realized they couldn't do anything with it." Io nods to herself, pleased with her suggestion. To her credit, it's a surprisingly good one.

"But w-what if we can't f-f-find it?" You ask.

"We will!" Io chirps back. She hands you her phone, and you quickly dial your number from memory. A couple of seconds pass, and you're astonished when you hear the sound of your default ringtone blaring near the forest entrance. Io looks at you with a smug grin, and races over to the spot, and grabs your phone out of the thicket.

"Yup! No thanks needed, I know I'm awesome!"

She passes you the phone, and your heart sinks when you look at it. The case has been stripped away, and the front screen has been completely pulverized. You sigh, and carefully place it in your back pocket. You've successfully retrieved your phone, but you'll need to **find someone that can repair it before you can make any out-going calls with it**.

Your jacket, wallet, and (more importantly) your scarf are still nowhere to be found; but you've confirmed that the thieves did travel in this direction.

But something else is still bothering you.

"Io, h-h-how did you get here?" You ask. She looks at you like you've grown a second head.

"Uhhh, sewers. Duh! I left the house like, an hour ago. It's a nice day, but I'm not walking THAT far to hang out with you."

"D-Did you see Ven?"

"Uh-huh! She was trying to teach that Oni she keeps in the corner how to dance, but he wasn't really having any of it!"

You take a look at the time on Io's phone, and narrow your eyes.

You were still out cold before she got here. Which means that at least one of the thieves has a strong grasp on illusion magic, and knows enough about the magic powering the sewer pathways to be able to manipulate them.

You can think of a Mog who fits both of those criteria easily. Shep Seere usually isn't in the habit of making trouble for others with her skillset, but there's a very good chance that she knows others that might.

"Io, W-W-When's the last t-time you saw S-S-Shep?"

Io puts a hand to her forehead and sticks her tongue out.

"Hmmmmmm. It's been a while. Nope, can't remember!"

You click your teeth. "Do you know her number?"

"Nope!"

"Her c-c-conjurer's number?"

"Nuh-uh!"

"I need to g-go to Otecho. D-D-D-Do you f-f-feel like taking a trip with me?"

"Not really."

You stare blankly at Io, completely surprised by this response.

"What? I'm tired. Today was leg day, and I came straight here after I went to the gym. Can't we just crash at your place for the night, then go look tomorrow?"

You grit your teeth, but say nothing. There's still more than enough daylight left to make it to Otecho, and back before sundown, however there are several factors to consider:

1\. As of right now, you are completely broke. You are going to need to find a means of getting cash for the next seven days in order to eat.

2\. Io did just save you a bunch of time by helping you puzzle out a lead towards the thieves. You should probably make it up to her somehow.

3\. You're tired, sore, and in no position to fight competently if anything were to happen, and you have no means of buying any healing items.

4\. Your wallet had no identification in it, only money. You still have your keys. Giving up on catching them is a completely valid option.

5\. Abandoning the chase also means losing one of your last remaining links to the woman you love. You're not sure if you can take that kind of loss again.

What will you do?

[] Agree with Io. Rest for the day at home, then pick up the trail tomorrow.

[] Give Io the housekeys, while you look for a way to make some money.

[] Agree with Io, but check in with Ven and the Rakshasa brothers before you rest.

**[X] Ignore Io, you have to find those thieves, NOW.**

[] Give up, and move on. It sucks, but it's not the end of the world.

It's really not much of a choice at all in your mind. You have to get your scarf back, no matter what.

"You c-can stay here if y-y-you want, but I'm not stopping till I c-catch these g-g-guys."

You push past Io, and begin walking towards the forest path. A second later, she's right back in front of you, blocking your path. Her eyes dart around nervously, and there's a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead that wasn't there just a moment's ago.

"Hey, I wanna catch those guys too, but it's too dangerous right now!"

You take a long hard look at Io. The leg day comment was one thing, but if you weren't suspicious before, you certainly are now. She'd never turn down a challenge, no matter how dangerous it is. You narrow your eyes at her, and she flinches in response.

"Since when has t-t-that ever stopped you b-before?"

"I uh... well..."

You take a step towards her, and she quickly scrambles backwards until she backs into a tree. She's sweating profusely now, but before you can push the issue any further, you hear an angry voice scream out from down the path.

"What's the big idea you freaking wannabe?!"

You turn towards the path, and see a furious looking Io tearing down the road. Her jacket is tied around her waist, and she's carrying what looks to be three bags of groceries in one hand. Her other hand is limp at her side, and her knuckles look slightly swollen.

The "Io" right next to you tries to make a break for it, but you quickly snatch her by the collar, and hold her in place.

"Ack! Stop! Uncle!" She flails feebly against you, and you shake your head, wondering how you nearly fell for this shoddy poser.

Io finally closes the distance, and stops in front of you. Her chest is heaving, and upon closer examination you can see the space around her shimmering from her unnaturally high body heat. She drops her bags to the ground, then summons her sword. Despite its awkward size, she's still able to hold it effortlessly with just one hand, and she quickly levels it in your direction.

"Yeahhhhh... very funny. That's not gonna work on me twice!"

You have absolutely no idea what she's talking about, but before you can say anything, you see the edge of her sword ignite into flames.

She raises the blade above her head, and you jump out of the way just before she brings it down with a loud crash.

The area near the impact is completely scorched, and the town residents quickly run inside their houses once they notice the commotion. Io's double is on the ground unconscious. You get up and quickly dust your shirt off.

"Io! You n-nearly hit me with tha-"

Before you can finish the sentence, she readies another swing, which you quickly backstep.

"Io! Stop s-s-swinging that t-t-t-thing around! It's m-m-me!" You scream. And for a moment, she pauses, and eyes you suspiciously.

"The other you in the forest didn't stutter, but how do I know you're you, and not one of them?"

You quickly wrack your brain for something that only the two of you would know.

"You threw out my b-b-birthday gift to you last y-y-year because it had t-t-t-too many words, and not enough p-pictures."

Io has the decency to look embarrassed for a second, before her face brightens, and she quickly dismisses her sword.

"Okay. You're totes the real deal!" She let's herself fall back first against the grass, and lets out a huff.

"Man, you wouldn't believe how far I had to walk to get here! The sewers are totally borked, and some jerks tried to rob me back in Solburg!"

You wonder if the robbers that Io encountered were the same ones that you ran into earlier today. You take a seat next to her, and explain everything that happened on your end, and she listens intently until you finish. Her eyes go wide when you mention your missing scarf; she knows just how much it meant to you.

"Oh... that sucks..."

You nod, but don't really have anything to add, so you say nothing.

"Well, I didn't get jumped by any werewolves, just a couple of tanukis. One of them was dressed like you, but started acting weird when I got close. Next thing I know, BAM! Gettin' jumped. I mean, I still won, but they got some good hits in though."

You look at her hand, and she quickly covers it up with her good one.

"Anyway, I do have a little bit of good news for you!" She reaches over towards one of the bags she dropped, and reaches inside.

Gripped in Io's hand are your wallet and jacket. It's a little dirty, but it's still clean.

"One of 'em dropped these. I didn't know if something happened to you, so I ran here as fast as I could."

You feel touched that Io was willing to come this far for you, and despite the missing scarf, your mood has significantly improved.

"T-Thanks." It's the only thing you can think of to say.

"No thanks necessary, I know I'm awesome!"

You roll your eyes at Io as you slip the jacket back on, and check the wallet. A sizeable amount of money has been taken, leaving you with only 7000 yuan. As you flip through the bills, Io's words replay in your head.

"Io. What did you just s-say?"

"Ummm, that I'm awesome?"

You look back towards the other "Io" on the ground.

"Weird, she said the same thing earlier. N-Now that I think about it, she even made one of those snack p-pocket things that y-y-you like."

At this, Io gets up and walks over towards her fake. She kneels down, and brushes the hair away from her forehead.

"Well I don't see any leaf, so maybe it's a mimic? Their imitation game is on point compared to tanukis. Kinda weird seeing one up in Outset though; We could always wait till she wakes up, and see what she knows." Io suggests.

Part of you still really wants to try and catch up, and even if she's willing, Io's clearly not in a position to be traveling. Plus, it looks as though she brought some food, and you could stand to eat right now.

There's also the issue of what to do with the other "Io". You two could probably interrogate her once she comes to.

There's still plenty of time left in the day, but if you leave Sunwich now, you'll probably need to find a place to rest, as backtracking isn't viable until the issue with the sewers is resolved. For now, your main objectives are:

-Reach Otecho, and speak to Shep.

-Get your scarf back by **any means necessary**.

What will you do?

[] Head back home with Io, and take a breather. Bring the Mimic with you.

[] Head back home with Io, and take a breather. Leave the Mimic behind.

[] Double check the sewers.

[] Make your way to Otecho. Leave Io behind with the housekeys.

**[X] Wait here for the Mimic to wake up. You don't want her knowing exactly where you live.**

[] Write in


	2. Arc 1: Part 2

You look at the Mimic, and try to gauge whether or not bringing her along with you is a viable option.

"I'm headed for O-t-t-techo, you think we can take turns d-d-d-dragging her with us?"

Io looks down at the Mimic, and sucks her teeth. With her good hand, she grabs her by the midsection and deftly throws her over her shoulder, and looks back to you with a thumbs up.

"Naw, I got it, she barely weighs anything!" She tilts her head in the direction of the bags on the floor. “Do you have a backpack or something we can put my stuff in? I brought plenty of food, so we should be good if we're gonna be away for a while!"

You shake your head at first, but then you remember something.

"I think Eve has a b-b-bag lying around her room somewhere. Want me to go c-c-check?"

"Yeah I'll wait here. When you get back, you can carry the jerky while I carry the jerk!"

You groan, and hurry off towards the house as Io snort-laughs at her own joke. Stupid...

You open the door to the house, and quickly dash up the stairs to Eve's room. You open the door, and are relieved to see that she cleaned up the room before she left. The empty backpack sits at the foot of her bed, and you quickly grab it. You open the zippers and give it a quick flip to make sure nothing is inside.

A small photograph falls out of one of the pouches, and lands face down on the floor. You're kind of curious, and it would only take a second to peek, but you're already taking things that don't belong to you, and you want to respect Eve's privacy.

But still...

Will you look at the photo before you go?

**[X] Yes**

[] No

You decide to take a quick peek. Despite spending most of your time with her, you admittedly don't know very much about your conjurer.

You flip the photograph over... and what you see makes you feel like someone just stabbed you in the chest.

It appears to be an old family photo. In it, you see several people you don't recognize, but even in her old age, you have no trouble picking out your Eve in the lineup.

Next to her is a man that you don't recognize. He looks to be many years older than her, but you chalk it up to Eve Xin's youthful appearance making the age difference look far more distressing than it actually is.

What truly distresses you, is the way the two of them are intimately close. The man is kissing her cheek, and the dimples that form on her face tell you that her smile is genuine.

It's basic logic. You knew that in order for her to have descendants of any kind, something like this would have to happened, but this is the first time that you've actually been confronted with the truth of the matter.

While you were locked away for all of those years thinking of nothing but her, Eve moved on, had children, and made a new life for herself.

Without you.

.

..

...

You leave the room, and as you quietly close the door, you feel that empty space in your chest grow a little bigger.

You obtain the backpack... **but your mood has taken a sharp decline, and you are now feeling depressed, angry, and extremely bitter. You will be locked out of making any choices until the next critical juncture.**

You hurry back outside, and meet Io by the side of the path. You say nothing to her as you roughly shove everything into the backpack.

"Hey, careful!" Io chides. "I have apples and oranges in there, don't bruise them!"

You scowl at Io, but say nothing, choosing instead to close the pack, and slip it on. You walk past her, and move through the woods with a practiced ease. When several minutes pass, you turn around to make sure that Io is keeping your pace. She's only a few feet behind you, but she's breathing heavy, and you can tell that she's starting to feel her fatigue. You hold up your hand for her to stop, and you drop the backpack to the ground. She takes the hint, and carefully places the Mimic down as well.

You open the bag, and pass her two oranges, while you go for one of the pre-made sandwiches, and the two of you sit down and eat in silence. Io looks towards you with uncertainty in her eyes. She squirms for a moment, before exhaling and scooting over closer to you.

"So, uh... you wanna talk about something?"

What do you say?

[] What did you have in mind?

[] Not really, but I'll listen to what you have to say.

**[X] Say nothing, and shove her away.**

You can tell that she's concerned, and that this just is a roundabout way for her to try and figure out what's bothering you.

Any other time, you might've appreciated the sentiment, but all you want right now is to be left alone.

You push her by the shoulder, and she's so surprised by the action, that she goes tumbling backwards. It's a much harder shove than what you'd originally intended, but you're past caring at this point. You turn away, and draw your knees up to your shoulders.

"Okay, that is IT!"

You feel the heat at your back milliseconds before the explosion rocks your senses and sends you flying headfirst towards a small tree. You're able to reorient yourself in time so that your shoulder takes the brunt of the impact.

You land to the ground with a thud, and when you look up, Io is standing several feet away from you, clenching both of her fists. The fire surrounding her burns intensely, and you assume that the oranges helped speed up the healing process.

She walks up to you at a slow, deliberate pace, and you can feel yourself weakening just by being next to her overwhelming aura.

"I don't know what bug crawled up your butt and made you all cranky, but I am not the one, you understand me?! You. Don't. Get. To. Take. It. Out. On. Me!"

She jabs a finger at your chest, and pushes you back with each word. You've never heard Io talk like this before, and it's clear that you've set her off in a big way. If don't you find a way to de-escalate the situation, a fight may break out between you two.

How do you react?

[] Back down, try to apologize, and tell her what's on your mind.

**[X] Grab her finger with one hand, and throw a cross punch with the other.**

[] Cry.

You can see her talking, but the words don't quite reach you. All you feel is your anger rising up to a fever pitch, and right now she's just something to take it out on.

You grab her finger, but when you try to punch her, she takes a step back and throws you to the ground with your own momentum.

In that moment, you start to sober up, and realize that you may have bitten off more than you can chew.

"Get up."

You pull yourself back up to your feet, and see Io standing with her sword at the ready. There's a scowl on her face, but her eyes are wide in anticipation.

"Alright! You wanna go? Let's go!"

**\---IO'S PATH SUBPLOT UNLOCKED---**

Part One: The Rematch

You quickly summon your scythe and take a battle stance. Neither one of you moves, and you use this moment to size up your opponent.

You're at a severe disadvantage right out of the gate. **You may have the abilities of a reaper, but Io has something that you don't: years of physical training and practical combat experience. You may have better range, and be able to move a bit faster, but her elemental affinity, coupled with her unnatural strength, means that she can overpower your defenses effortlessly, and punish any mistakes that you make.**

At best, you think that you'll be able **to withstand three direct blows before you become unable to fight any more.**

What will your first move be?

[] Hold back, and wait for her to make the first move before reacting.

[] Summon a snowstorm, and move in for a sneak attack

[] Charge straight in, and go for the direct assault, she won't be expecting it.

**[X] Write in (Pull pants down to surprise her, and then waddle away crying.)**

You charge straight in, hoping to surprise her with a frontal assault, but Io parries the swing with ease, knocking the scythe out of your hands, and sending it flying upwards into the air. You jump back a split second before it strikes the ground, and pull it back into your hands.

You make ready for another attack, but...

Io seems to be frozen in place. The fire surrounding her has completely vanished, and her mouth is ajar.

You raise your scythe again, but Io's only reaction is to blush. You start to feel oddly self-conscious.

"What? W-W-What is it?"

"Ummmm. Pants." Io says shyly. You follow the (disarmingly intense) gaze of her eyes downward, and you feel all of the blood in your body rush up to your cheeks.

Your scythe had gotten lodged under your belt, and when you yanked it up, you snapped it off, causing your pants to fall past your ankles.

You look back at Io, who raises a hand to cover her mouth.

"Hee."

"S-S-Stop laughing."

"Hehe..."

"Shut up...."

"Heheheheheh Ha!"

"Stop!"

"Pfffffffff AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!"

Io grabs her stomach, and falls to the floor with laughter. She winds down for a second, but when she looks back at you, she points her finger at your crotch, and starts laughing again. The embarrassment is too much for you to take.

You grab your pants, and with as much dignity as you can muster (none), you fight back sniffles, and waddle away behind a tree to fix yourself, while Io continues to laugh herself into a coma.

The tension has successfully been defused... though your ego may have taken a bit of a bruise.

The two of you eventually reconvene around the backpack and Mimic. Io slides next to you as you tear through another sandwich. She's still sniggering every few seconds.

"So... 'Bone mama', huh?"

You give Io a weak shove, and she starts giggling again before leaning companionably against your shoulder.

"Feeling any better?" She asks.

You take a moment to search within yourself:

You're still feeling a bit down about everything, but it's nowhere near as all-consuming as it was before.

"A little."

Io pulls back, surprising you with a respect for your personal space for once, and looks you dead in the eyes. There's something twinkling in her eye that you really don't want to put a name to.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

How do you respond?

**[X] Tell her about the photo you found, and how it made you feel.**

[] Deflect, and ask her why she got so worked up earlier.

[] Politely, but firmly decline. Your problems are your own.

You decide to ignore the warning signs. Even if Io wants something more than what you think you can give, she's still trying her best to be a good friend in spite of you being unreasonably mean to her earlier.

You do something that you've only done once since you escaped the Den.

You let someone in.

You tell her about the photo you found, and all of the negative feelings that followed.

Io listens to you, and wraps an arm around you that you don't quite feel like pushing away. When you've finished, the two of you stay quiet for a long time.

"Hey, Nyx?"

"Hm?"

Another pause. It's rare that Io ever stops to think about what she says, and her silence is starting to make you anxious.

"I think you're probably wrong about Eve."

"W-W-W-What do you mean?"

Io turns away to look at some point off in the distance.

"I'm sure that no matter what she felt, she was always thinking about you. She probably just... needed to cope."

You don't really know what to say to this, and choose to wait for Io to gather her thoughts.

"You've... never really gotten the chance to let yourself do that, you know? Not get married! I mean, the moving on thing!"

Io fumbles with her words, and sighs.

"I mean, you're here, but you're still, like, stuck back there. In that cell. Now that you have your life back, is there anything that you want for yourself?"

Io's thoughtful words catch you completely off-guard, but you take time to mull them over.

Even in your new life, you're still something of a stranger to everyone around you, and you aren't sure how to feel about that.

What do you want for yourself?

[] Friends

[] Family

**[X] A place to belong**

[] To feel love again.

You think about the experiences you've had in life, both before and after your Eve first came into your life. It was thanks to her that you were able to travel and see as much of the world as you have, but despite that, you never quite felt any attachment to any given place.

But to be fair, you'd been so dependent on your lover that you never really tried.

"I think, I would l-like to find a p-p-place to settle d-d-d-down."

Io blinks, likely surprised that you're willing to engage in this discussion.

"Really? I didn't expect that! I was expecting something like, 'I wanna see my bae again!' or something."

You know that she meant nothing mean by it, but the words still sting. You mutter something under your breath, and Io quickly realizes her faux pas.

"I didn't mean that like, a bad thing, but you know... she was a Wuji, so..." She trails off, uncertain of how to broach the subject with you, but you decide to put it out in the open.

"I know she's not coming back." The words leave you with a strong sense of finality, and you feel a weight settle over your shoulders; metaphorically, and literally. Io's leaning against you again, but you turn your face away, you can feel your eyes starting to get a little damp, and the last thing you want is for her to see you crying.

You hear Io's voice by your neck.

"You must've really loved her, huh?"

"_**I can't stop loving her**_." The response comes from your throat before you even realize what it is that your saying; it doesn't make it any less true though. This constant heartache is what it means to be a Reaper, but despite the struggle, you've still decided to do your best to live with it.

Which is why you at least want to try and plant some roots somewhere.

When you turn back to Io, she's looking at you with pity.

"D-D-D-Don't give me that look. It's weird."

Io sighs, and moves away. She looks like she wants to say something, but she holds herself back.

You feel strangely unsettled by her hesitance, and quickly decide to follow up.

"It doesn't mean t-t-t-that I don't w-want to move on."

You can almost see the exclamation point over her head, and you groan, realizing that she's definitely misinterpreted your words.

"Wait! So you're sayin' that'd you'd be down to get with someone else?!"

You crease at her grossly insensitive wording.

"All I'm s-s-saying is, I want to live m-m-my life, and I think t-that s-s-s-striking out on my own w-w-would be the best place t-t-t-t-to start."

Io deflates just a little, but you can still see the gears turning.

"So, you're saying you want to move out?"

You nod. You're very fond of Eve, but you can't deny that being around her has stifled any personal growth you might have been able to find otherwise. Having a place to call your own would likely do you some good in the long run.

"Well, why don't you move to Harbei?! There's plenty of-"

You tune out the rest of Io's sales pitch, which manages to go on for nearly several minutes, but seeing her talking so animatedly and trying so earnestly to help, makes you feel **legitimately happy** knowing that someone cares that much about you.

Io finally finishes talking, and looks at you expectantly.

"I'll think about it. We should p-p-p-probably keep moving. Solburg's only a few m-minutes away."

Io squees, and pulls you in for a bone crushingly tight hug. She lets you back down after a moment, then slings the Mimic back onto her back.

"Ready when you are!"

You put away the rest of the food, and close up the backpack. Before you head out, you turn to Io, who happens to catch your eye at the same time.

"Io? T-T-Thanks. For being a g-g-good friend."

She doesn't say anything back, but the beaming smile that she gives you makes your chest jump. The two of you start back down the path, feeling rejuvenated, and a little closer than you were before.

**\--Affinity raised with Io--**

You now consider Io to be an actual friend, and your mood will naturally increase when in proximity to her.

The two of you exit the woods and finally reach Solburg. The sun is already starting to set, and you click your teeth. Stopping in the woods ate up a lot more time than you anticipated.

"I don't think we're g-g-gonna get much farther for now."

"Uhhhh, Nyx? Problem!"

You turn around, and curse when you notice the Mimic on Io's back start to stir.

"Not g-g-good!"

Her eyes snap open, and she quickly starts thrashing around until she gets loose from Io's grip. She lands face first in the sand, and you level your scythe at her back.

"Don't move." The Mimic twitches, but otherwise remains still. Io grabs her, and forces her back on her feet. A crowd has started to gather, and several people are recording with their phones. You look at the Mimic, who glares back up at you. She seems to have found a backbone since the last time you two talked.

"I'm r-r-r-r-really not in the mood for games, so I'll m-m-make this easy: t-t-tell us what we want to know, and we'll let you g-g-g-go. Do you know w-w-where the p-people who robbed me went?"

The Mimic looks between the two of you, then shakes her head. The voice that leaves here is reedy, and extremely grating.

"I ain't sayin' nothin'!"

Io looks at you self-consciously.

"I don't talk like that! ...Do I talk like that?"

You ignore the both of them, and think. It's probably not a good idea to interrogate someone in front of other people, but the longer you drag this on, the less likely you'll be able to get anything out of her.

However, the fact that you're in Solburg means that you also have access to several people that could prove very helpful to you, but seeking them out has the potential to take up more of your time.

What will you do?

[] Attempt to reason with the Mimic.

[] Take the Mimic out back behind a house, and put the screws to her until she talks.

[] Drag her down into the sewers, and interrogate her there.

[] Let her go, you've wasted enough time and energy with this. Maybe June knows something?

**[X] Sic the dog on her. Bring the Mimic to June's place, and see if Troz is home.**

"Drag her t-t-this way, I have an Idea."

You gesture toward June's house, and Io trails behind you, dragging her double along. You bang on the door, hoping that someone will answer quickly. Thankfully, the door opens, and June Sanjo steps into the doorway, bleary eyed, and yawning. There's a red imprint of a mouse pad on her right cheek.

"Awaaaaaaaahhhh... Morning." She smacks her lips together.

You ignore the fact that it's already evening time, and greet her.

"Is Troz home?"

June rubs her face, clearly still half asleep.

"Nah, she went to Otecho for a checkup or sumthin... You want me too aaaaaawwwwwhh... call her?"

The Mimic starts to fidget in Io's grasp, then June finally starts to wake up. She looks between the three of you, then quickly zips next to the Mimic with a total disregard for her personal space.

"Well now! Who's this cutie mog you've got with you? You look like Io, but there's... something off about you! What's your name? Where are you from?"

"Uh... I. Um! I don't like this!"

With each question, June gets more and more excited, and the Mimic becomes increasingly more uncomfortable in response. You could probably convince your captive to spill the beans in exchange for getting her as far away from June as possible.

You're also curious about Troz's whereabouts. It might be a good idea to hang around with June while she works her 'magic' on the Mimic. Now that you think about it, she's also fairly knowledgeable about things, maybe she can fix your phone screen, or at the very least, put you in contact with someone that can.

You aren't certain if she'll be willing to help you out for free, or if she'll want something in return, but despite her overbearing nature, June likely won't ask anything too outlandish of you.

Hopefully.

How will you proceed?

[] Introduce the Mimic as your friend, and ask to come in while you wait for Troz.

**[X] Introduce the Mimic as your friend, and tell June that she wants to submit some information for her index project.**

[] Bargain with the Mimic. Her freedom in exchange for the thieves' location.

[] Let the Mimic go, and bring June up to speed instead.

[] Write in

You grin, and Io lets go of the Mimic, and June quickly wraps (what she thinks is) a friendly arm around her shoulder. You take the moment to spin your story.

"T-T-T-This is a f-f-f-friend of ours! We were in t-t-the neighborhood, and w-we told her about you, and she's really interested to see what you're working on!"

There's a pause between everyone. Io fights back a laugh, the Mimic looks absolutely confused, and June looks so happy that she could burst.

And in a sense, she does. Both you and Io are surprised when June lifts the Mimic up in a bear hug, and starts jumping up and down with glee. She's a lot stronger than she looks, maybe it has something to do with her pact?

Then the yelling starts, and you almost feel bad for the poor Mog.

"Oh my gosh! IRL fan! I'll show you all my notes, and -gasp- maybe I could add you too!!! What kind of Mog are you?!"

She lets the Mimic go, and she struggles to get back on her feet. You slide in between them, and prop her up against your shoulder.

"Why don't we g-g-go inside first?"

June snaps her fingers, and nods her head excitedly.

"Yeah, you're totally right!" June rushes back inside the house, leaving the three of you standing outside as she calls out over her shoulder. "Come on in, don't mind the mess! I got plenty of food, so help yourself to anything in the fridge!"

You can feel the Mimic trembling against your shoulder.

"What does she wanna do?" She asks.

Io shrugs.

"Honestly? She'll probably wanna ask you a buncha questions about what you can do, and stuff. She does get a little... touchy feely though."

"What?!"

You quickly chime in with a sinister smile.

"Y-Yeah. She really, really l-l-likes Mog girls!"

"Listen, I made a mistake. I'll tell you anything you wanna know! Just... **keep that lady away from me!**"

Inside the house, you hear June call out.

"Found my cameraaaaa! You guys coming in or what? I'm making chicken tenders!"

"Please! Don't make me go in there!"

She whines against you ear, but after everything you went through, you find it very hard to feel sympathetic.

"We're w-w-way p-past that point now."

You drag her inside as Io locks the door behind you.

June's house is considerably messier since the last time you were here: there's several rolls of film spread across her bed, and the cages of frogs that once lined her counter have been replaced with thick books on mountain climbing and other things that you can't quite make out from where you are.

You and Io force the Mimic into the nearest chair, and take a spot next to her. June is still in the living room, and you can hear her singing a tune you've never heard before as she moves about.

Before she comes back, you decide to take this moment to ask the Mimic some questions. You're actually quite taken aback by how frightened she looks.

"What's your n-n-name?"

The Mimic looks up at you, and you notice that her facial structure has started to change. Io's freckles are no longer present, and her eyes are a chocolate brown now. You can also see strands of black hair mixed in with pink as well.

"It's... Mickayla. Everyone calls me Mick."

"Mick the Mimic?" Io snorts. "I bet you were really popular growing up!"

"Shut up..."

Io whacks her over the head, and she moans pitifully and clutches the back of her head.

"Owwwwwww..."

Her voice lacks any of the false bravado from earlier, and you decide to dial down the intensity on your end. You take a step back to give her a little space, but you make sure to watch her every move. Io doesn't budge.

"Okay. Where are you from?"

She shakes her head.

"I can't tell you that! You can ask me anything else, but not that."

Io looks at you, and makes a fist with one hand while pointing at Mick with the other. You shake your head, and Io frowns, but defers to your judgement.

"Can you tell m-me anything about t-t-the p-p-p-people that robbed me?"

She scowls for a moment, then takes a deep breath.

"I don't really know them like that. Those a-holes threatened me, and forced me to wait for you and throw you off their trail. That's all I know, I swear."

"It doesn't e-explain h-h-how you were able to imitate Io, and get to Sunwich b-b-before she d-did."

She goes quiet, and you feel your patience starting to wear thin.

Before you can decide on your next course of action, Io breaks her silence.

"Puh-leeease! You probably just hopped through the sewers, right?"

She flinches, and Io presses the issue.

"So I **am** right! How were you able to get through? The passages are all screwy! Did you do it?!"

"I can't-"

"Say 'I can't' one more time. I dare ya."

"Okay! I can't do it, but they just fixed the path so I could travel through, okay?!"

You narrow your eyes at this.

"You really expect us to b-b-believe that you're a victim in this? T-T-T-That's way too c-convenient."

"It's the truth!" Mick wails. She's becoming more distressed, but a lot more open with her answers. Io grabs her by the neck, and pulls her in close. Personally, you think she might be going a little overboard, but you don't intervene; you're so close to learning the truth...

"Oh yeah? If that's right, then why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Mick's squeezes her eyes shut, and you can see the tantrum coming a mile away. With a burst of strength, she knocks Io away, backs herself into the nearest corner, and scream at the top of her lungs.

"**Because you two knocked me out and kidnapped me!** I never wanted anything to do with this, but I didn't have a choice! They said they were gonna kill me if I didn't help or if I said anything, and then you hit me and then I woke up and-"

Mickayla's run-on sentence breaks down into a fit of sobs, and she slides onto the floor, hugging herself as she heaves.

"I just wanna go home..."

"..._What the heck did you two do!?_"

You turn around and see June standing a few paces away. Her normally jovial face is twisted into shock and disbelief.

You don't know how much she heard, but you think it's safe to assume that she was there for most of the conversation, and she's likely very upset that you lied to her in order to interrogate someone away from prying eyes.

What will you do?

[] Comfort Mick. She clearly needs it.

[] Let June comfort Mick. She'll probably cry harder if you two get anywhere near her.

[] Leave Mick be, and explain everything to June in the other room.

[] Apologize to June for lying.

**[X] Write in. (Let June comfort Mick while apologizing and trying to explain what has happened recently.)**


	3. Arc 1: Part 3

You lock eyes with June, feeling incredibly guilty. You try to say something, but she rushes past you, and sits down next to Mickayla.

With a practiced sort of ease, she tenderly draws her in for a hug.

"Shhh... It's ok, no one's gonna hurt you. Shhh..."

Mick's sobs intensify as she leans against June's chest, and the Conjurer looks up towards the two of you with a glower. Quietly, she mouths the words, "Tell me everything", and you nod.

You look to Io, who's face has turned very sullen. She moves towards June and Mick, likely to try and apologize.

"We didn't kn-"

June cuts her off with a raised hand and a glare so intense, that for a moment, you're reminded of her older cousin.

You grab Io by the hand, and pull her into the other room. You two have already done enough.

Several minutes pass as the two of you wait for June to calm Mick down. You can hear two voices murmuring from the other room, but you can't make out what it is they're saying. You give up on trying to eavesdrop, and turn your attention back to Io, who still looks very ashamed.

You decide to try and cheer her up; one good turn deserves another, after all. You reach into your backpack, and pull out the last of the oranges. You take one for yourself, and offer her the other with an outstretched hand.

"W-W-Want to talk about it?" You ask. Io snorts at your choice of words, and takes the orange from you. She bites into it, skin and all.

You decide that's probably not worth asking about, and you let her eat in piece as you start to peel your orange.

"We screwed up big time, huh?"

You look back at Io, and nod, albeit reluctantly. Personally, you think that neither of you had any real way of knowing, but you decide to stay quiet, and let Io vent. She groans, and tucks her face into her palms.

"Jeez... what are people gonna say? We can't be heroines if we go around beating up innocents!"

You're thankful that she can't see you rolling your eyes right now.

"We'll s-s-s-start by saying sorry. We should apologize to J-June too..."

Io sighs, and pulls her head up, looking considerably better than she did a moment ago.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right! We should totally help her out."

On one end, you're happy that she's able to bounce back so quickly... but on the other, you have absolutely no idea how she got "Help out the Mimic" from "Apologize to everyone", but you've long since stopped trying to figure out how Io's sense of logic works.

"That's right, you're definitely going to help her out after what you two did."

You flinch, then quickly turn around to see June leaning against the side of the wall texting on her phone. This is the second time she's been able to sneak up on you, and you find it more than a little perturbing. She continues to speak without even bothering to look up from her phone.

"I already got Mick's side, now I wanna hear yours. Tell me everything."

...For what feels like the millionth time today, you run over the events that led you here. June says nothing the entire time, and remains stone-faced as she continues to type on her phone. When you finally finish your story, she looks back up at you, and put her phone back on sleep mode.

"And that's everything?"

"Y-Yeah."

She doesn't say anything, but continues to look back at you. You decide that now might be the time to try and apologize to her.

"Hey, J-J-June? About earlier... I'm s-s-sorry I lied to you."

June completely ignores you, and looks towards Io. She's well within her right to be upset, but you're starting to feel a little **irritated** all the same.

"Io. Come back here for a bit? I need to talk with you and Mick for a sec. Nyx? You can wait here."

Io gets up, and walks back into the bedroom. You're about to protest, but suddenly, you feel your phone vibrate in your pocket. You pull it out and squint, trying to read the name of the person trying to reach you. You give up, and opt to just hit the answer button instead.

"H-Hello?"

"Hey Nyx? It's Eve; is everything alright?"

You freeze at the sound of your Conjurer's voice. When you take too long to respond, Eve begins talking again.

"Soooo... I just got a text message from June, and I couldn't really understand what she was trying to type out, but I saw your name a couple of times. Just wanted to check in and make sure everything was okay."

You curse under your breath, and look back towards June, who's watching you intently.

"Nyx? You there? Are you good?"

How do you respond?

**[X] Tell the truth.**

[] Tell the truth, but leave out the parts about lying to June.

[] Lie, and tell her that everything's okay. You really don't want her to worry about you during her trip.

[] Hang up, and turn off the phone.

You lock eyes with June one last time, and sigh. As much as you want to handle this yourself, this has become bigger than just you.

"N-No Eve... I'm not good."

You tell Eve about everything that happened, and you hear her gasp a couple of times during the story.

"And that's what h-h-happened..."

"Nyx, I am so sorry. Look, give me a day, and I'll be on my way back home. We'll-"

You interrupt her as fast as you possibly can.

"W-W-Wait! You don't n-need to do that. I c-can handle this."

You hear Eve make a drawn out 'hmmmmm' sound over the phone. She doesn't seem convinced, but you press on.

"I know w-w-we messed up pretty b-bad, but you deserve to spend some t-t-time with your family. I've got this."

The other end of the line goes silent for a moment, but then you can hear the phone being set down, while Eve speaks to someone else in the background.

You can't make out what they're saying, but you recognize the second voice. It's Klein.

You unconsciously suck your teeth. The fact that Klein is both her best friend and mentor will never cease to irritate you.

You wait on the line until Eve picks the phone back up.

"Alright Nyx, you say that you've got this, so I'll trust you, but promise me something: You'll call me every day, and let me know what's going on, and if things get too rough, you'd better let me know, alright? No trying to do everything by yourself!"

Part of you irrationally wants to argue against having to check in, but you also realize that she's being more than fair. If Eve really wanted to, she could just conjure you to her side in order to keep tabs on you.

"Okay. Thanks f-f-for trusting me, Eve."

"Awww, don't sweat it! Just be careful. Can you do me a favor, and hand the phone off to June? I gotta talk to her about some stuff."

"S-Sure."

"And Nyx?"

"Yeah?"

"...I know coming out with all of that must've been really hard for you, but I really appreciate you being honest with me, Nyx."

You hand the phone off to June, and she quickly puts it to her ear.

"Hello? Yeah? Yeah. Are you sure? Hm. Okay? Okay. Got it. Yeah, I can do that. That too. Yeah, sure I'll let everyone else know as soon as I'm off the phone. Yeah, I can loan her one of mine.... What? What? Um, Eve, I wanna help... but I still haven't finished making payments on the thing! ....Uh-huh. Well, what if she helps me with some- oh! Yeah! You sure? Okay, cool! You got it, Eve! Bye!"

June hangs up the phone, and gives you an appraising look.

"Okay. Ngl, I'm still really mad at you for lying, but Eve asked me to help you guys out. Mick already explained everything to me, so I already have an idea on how to catch these guys."

You look at June with disbelief.

"S-She just told you? J-Just like that? What's the plan-?!"

You feel yourself getting excited, but June places a hand in front of your mouth.

"Apapapap! Right now, I need to talk to Mick, and Io. You wait here, kay?"

She doesn't wait for your approval, and quickly rounds the corner. You comply with her request, and wait. You hear Io let out a whoop of joy, then see her quickly bolt out the house.

Without you.

You are extremely confused right now... and slightly nervous. Another second passes, and June comes around the corner... followed by Mickayla... only now, she's disguised as you.

Mick looks towards June nervously.

"A-A-Are you sure this w-will w-work?"

Okay. This is too weird now.

"Everything will be just fine! Just do it like we talked about."

She claps a hand on Mick's shoulder, and the Mimic blushes, before giving a firm nod (with your face) and following Io out the door.

After a couple of seconds, June locks the door. Then turns to you with a strange glint in her eye.

You don't like where this is going.

"So!" June starts with a clap of her hands. "Not only does Eve want me to get your phone fixed, but she also asked me to lend you my hoverboard. I told her I'd be okay with that, if, you helped me out with something I've been working on!"

You look at June with deadpan stare. You do not time for this crap.

"Are you s-serious r-r-right now?"

"Mmmm-hm! Have you ever used a camera before?"

You get up, and start to walk towards the door, because you listen to June for a moment longer, you just might strangle her. Just as you put your hand on the doorknob, June starts to speak again.

"Wanna know something really neat about Mimics? When they copy someone, they learn everything about them, down to the most intimate detail, it's how they're able to imitate someone with pinpoint accuracy. It doesn't last long, but if they have access to something with a person’s DNA, they can stay doubled up for as long as they like. You know what DNA is right? That's stuff like, a strand of hair, sweat from a jacket...fingerprints from a cell phone~”

You whirl around, and June gives you a pearly white smile.

"Don't look at me, I don't have it! I think Nyx might though!"

Your mood has changed to **Infuriated**.

"W-W-What is wrong with you?!"

June waves a hand at you, then walks over to her desk and turns her laptop on.

"Calm down, I told them to run over to the smallmart for some brownie bites. Just wanted to give us some privacy, and give Mick a chance to get comfy in her new look."

"What m-m-m-makes you think that I'm okay w-w-with this?!"

June starts tapping away at her keyboard. When she moves away, you can see a live video feed for several of the sewer entries. She turns to you with a smile.

"Because by helping me, you help us set a trap~"

**\---JUNE'S SUBPLOT START---**

Part One: mk luv 2 the camera

You look at the live feed, then back to June.

"So I've got a bunch of these set up around Piecewood, but I noticed that earlier today, some of them disappeared entirely. Any guesses to which ones?"

"....Sunwich and S-S-Solburg?

June snaps her fingers.

"You got it! I fell asleep earlier playing back everything recorded from before they cut out, but I cross-referenced with the time you said everything went down, and..."

She presses another button on the keyboard, and you can see several Mogs rushing out of the sewer. Three Tanuki, a Jinwu... and that werewolf. You see her reach back into the manhole, and yank up a struggling Mickayla (disguised as Io), and say something to her that makes her stop squirming. The rest of the entourage heads towards the forest, while the werewolf climbs back down into the sewers. Before she does, you notice something that offends you to your core.

She's wearing your scarf.

"I'm gonna kill her." You say with calm certainty. "I'm gonna k-kill her, and t-t-then I'm g-g-g-gonna skin h-h-her and wear her like a f-f-f-f-fu-"

"Hey, language!" June cries.

"kin' belt."

"Yeah, please don't do any of that."

You fume silently while June pulls up a feed of Aeros. You can see both Blitz and Chip watching the manhole cover intently. The feed switches to Otecho, and you see Troz sniffing around the area. Luca however, is nowhere to be seen.

"I sent messages to everyone, and we're setting up a stakeout. There's a couple of places that we don't have covered, so when Mick and Io come back with the goods, we're gonna split up. I'm coming with you though."

"Why?"

June grabs a small camera, and tosses it to you. You grab it out of the air, and give it a once over. It's compact enough that it can fit in your jacket pocket without getting in the way of movement.

June looks to you with a giddy expression.

"I don't have any werewolf shots in my portfolio, so in exchange for setting this up, and getting you where you need to go, all you gotta do is snap a quick shot when you find her! Sound fair?"

June holds her hand out for a handshake, and you consider your options.

In a way, you're being blackmailed, though it's likely just petty payback for earlier. There's no denying that there aren't any real downsides to the agreement, but you really, really, **really** don't appreciate being jerked around like this.

There's also the fact that June has stayed suspiciously quiet about what she knows as far as Mickayla's role in this is concerned. You don't like the idea of agreeing to something without knowing all of the facts. You're calmer than you were before, but you're still **very irritated** by being boxed into a corner like this.

What will you do?

[] Agree to June's terms.

[] Agree to June's terms, but only if she explains Mick's role in this (Temporary PoV switch)

[] Agree, but let her know just how annoyed you are with her.

[] Decline, and make your way through the Solburg Tunnel. Alone.

[] Decline, grab Io, and head for the Solburg Tunnel.

**[X] Write in. (Stare june dead in the eyes and eat the camera, then lift the fridge and shake it up and down like a salt shaker towards your open mouth spilling tendies and noodles everywhere. Fall on the floor and start making tendy noodle angels while screaming at the top of your lungs, then get up, burp loudly, and still dripping with food nonchalantly say "yeah alright but im gonna need another camera though i lost the other one".)**

You feel something dark inside of you bubble up to the surface; If June wants to make a game out of this, you're more than willing to do the same. You look at the small camera in your hands, then look back to June... and bite down on the camera as hard as you can.

.

..

...

You feel a crack form in one of your molars, and you curse loudly, dropping the camera to the ground, and clutching the side of your mouth in pain.

June looks at you with a mix of concern, and thinly veiled bemusement.

"Um, I don't really know what you're trying to do here, but you probably shouldn't try to do that."

You scowl at June, and storm over to her fridge. You're past the point of conversation, and now you just want to be petty for the sake of it.

You grab the sides of the fridge, and put all of your strength into lifting it off the ground.

You barely feel it budge, and your back is quickly starting to protest. You let go, and turn back to June, who looks back at you with a look best described as 'WTF?'. She raises her hands up, then drops them to her sides just as fast.

"Dude, I live with a Cerberus puppy, and I shoot photos of feral Mogs for a living. All of my stuff is Mog-proof."

You scream in frustration, and she takes a step back. You can see concern all over her face at this point, but you continue screaming as you throw open the door to her fridge, and start chucking random items on the floor. A glass casserole dish containing cold spaghetti smashes against the floor, and June yelps when a piece of glass from the debris goes flying past her head. Only when she runs out of the house do you cease your temper tantrum.

Completely spent, you fall back against the floor, ignoring the shards of glass and the hodgepodge of various foods on the floor.

Despite everything, the end result is surprisingly cathartic, and you feel **extremely satisfied** with your actions.

**\---Affinity with June/Rex/Troz/Eve has sharply decreased---**

Several minutes pass as you lay atop the heap of noodles and chicken tenders, and you're more than a little concerned when no one comes back.

Before you can question it, you feel something like an invisible rope pulling at your core. The world goes completely white.

When your vision returns, the first thing you see is Eve's disapproving face staring back at you. She's sitting cross-legged at the foot of a rather large bed with a large box between her legs. She clears her throat, and you look back up at her face.

"I'm gonna be honest, I don't really know what I'm supposed to say here." She rubs the back of her head, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I know that scarf is important to you, I get that. But what you just did... Nyx, you can't just...!"

She exhales through her nose in frustration as she tries to find the words. She eventually gives up, and claps her hands against her legs.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do... I already bought plane tickets back. Everybody back home is already working on catching these guys, but I'm heading back just in case they need some backup. You're taking the ride back with me; I'm not letting you out of my sight."

You feel your mood quickly begin to backslide...

"W-W-What?!"

"Hey, you can't blame anyone but yourself. You ask me to trust you, but then you turn around, go completely bonkers, and you expect me not to get involved? Nyx... what if you had really hurt June? She's a conjurer, but she's not like you or me."

You look away from Eve, unwilling to meet her eye. There was a point where you did consider incapacitating her.

"Eve, I'm sorr-"

"No. You're not. You're sorry you got caught." There's a flash of genuine anger in Eve's voice now, and you feel your own anger begin to rise along with it.

"D-D-Don't cut me off. I n-n-never wanted this to g-g-get this out of hand!"

"Was that before or after you kidnapped a mog?! Nyx, you're not thinking straight, so you're staying with me, **end of story**."

You scowl at Eve, but she stares back at you unflinchingly.

"You c-c-can't tell me what to do."

"No. She can't. But if your disregard for the people that care about you is any indication, she probably should. You're not in your right mind right now, Nyx."

You look to your left, and you see Klein standing by the door to the bedroom. She's watching you warily with one hand resting on her sword.

You feel yourself starting to grow **increasingly panicked**.

"I'm not s-s-staying here. You can't m-make me."

Eve and Klein share a look between each other. The latter nods, and Eve nods back with grim look on her face.

"Okay Nyx. You get one more chance."

You're surprised that despite everything, they're willing to trust you again. Eve stands up, and holds her arms out for a hug which you eagerly accept. Her hands wrap tightly around your back.

Far too tight.

You think you've made a terrible mistake.

"Sorry buddy, but this is for your own good!"

You struggle against Eve's grip, but it's no use. You hear her grunt, and the world turns upside-down. You head hits the ground with a sickening crunch, and you black out.

When you wake up, you're back in your bed at Sunwich. At the foot of your bed, you see the same box you saw Eve holding before, but you ignore it in favor of getting out of bed, and rushing downstairs. You see Io and Eve in the middle of a conversation, which they quickly break up when they notice your presence. Both of them look extremely distressed. Eve turns to you, and speaks. Her eyes don't quite meet yours.

"Hey Nyx? You should probably sit down... We need to talk."

You had more than a few choice words ready for Eve, but something tells you that whatever they have to say is far more important. You take a seat on top of the store counter, and wait for them to talk. The two of them look at one another, visibly nervous.

Eventually, Io is the one that breaks the silence. Her voice is graver than you've ever heard it before. Her hands are clasped together tightly.

"We um... got those guys that were making trouble for everyone. Mickayla went home, and the sewers are back to normal."

You're upset that you missed out on everything that happened, but glad that everything worked out for the best.

"So you g-g-got my scarf back, r-right?"

Io flinches hard, and you feel a hole forming in the pit of your stomach.

"We tried our best, but... things got out of control... Please don't be mad."

Io opens her hands, and in them, you see a tiny piece of yellow cloth. The edges are blackened with fire damage, but there's no mistaking it...

This is what remains of your scarf.

"Nyx... we're so sorry..."

How do you react?

**[X] Write in. (Take what's left of it. You've endured a lot to keep this memory, and there's no point in it go, despite all that's happened. Find a way to keep it, and think about going somewhere calm. Perhaps, a change of scene is what you needed more.)**

The world around fades away into black, and all you can see is the yellow piece of fabric in front of you, and you tenderly take it into your hands as if cradling a dying person.

The memories hit you hard and fast.

Days spent traveling the countryside, and nights spent under the starry moonlight.

Watching her learn how to sign, and giggling together when she makes a lewd gesture by mistake.

That one time when she complained that she was a little chilly, so you told her she could keep your scarf because you suddenly decided that you didn't need it anyway.

The moment you confessed your love to her, and she to you.

Your solid foundation in a world that no longer holds any meaning to you.

Gone.

Something inside of you snaps. Your body starts to go numb, and you can feel the temperature around you sharply decline.

You blink, and when you come to your senses, you see Io a few feet away from you clutching her hand and howling in pain. Eve has her staff in hand, and she's saying something to you with tears in her eyes, but you can't hear anything. It's as if the entire world is on mute.

You feel the scythe in your hands, and watch yourself slice up the store merchandise. The edge of the blade impales a RO-BIT that had the misfortune of being too close.

You want to stop, but your vision fades away, and it's like you've been locked out of your own body. Like the hole in your heart has swallowed you up entirely, and all that's left is... this.

"Nyx, you've gotta calm down!" You hear Io's voice cut through your haze, but remain powerless to do anything.

Your vision fades away again, but the sounds of a desperate struggle ring clear in your ears.

And then you hear Eve's voice.

"Nyx... Please..."

You feel your hand wrap around something soft, and you know that if you don't get a hold of yourself right now, something terrible is going to happen.

You reach deep within your core, desperate for something that you can use to bring yourself back from over the edge.

You see the thread that connects you to your Conjurer, and you sever it.

.

..

...

....

You feel severely weakened... but somehow, you come back to your senses and quickly let go of Eve's throat. You can see heavy bruises already starting to form as she starts coughing and sputtering. You look around, and see that the entire shop is in shambles. You don't see Io anywhere, but as you look over your shoulder, you do see Klein's blade pointed at your back.

The look on her face tells you everything that you need to know, and for the first time, you actually agree with her.

"I need to go."

You turn around, and start walking away. Klein strafes around you in a wide circle until she's certain that you won't try anything, then she quickly runs to Eve's side. You hear Eve try to call out for you, only to break down into another fit of coughs.

You tuck the scarf remains in your pocket, and leave the shop. You don't know where you're going, or what you're going to do, but right now, you need some time alone to figure things out. No matter how far you fall, the last thing you ever want to do is hurt the people that care about you.

You walk out of Sunwich, and not once do you look back.

**\--END OF FIRST ARC--**

Choose.

[] Aeros.

[] Harbei.

[] Otecho.

[] Bowfort.

**[X] The Sand Bar**

[] Sporegano.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big shoutouts to my editor Evagorn for going through the old story logs, and touching things up.
> 
> If you feel that this arc has ended on a bit of a depressing note... you'd be right! The story continues much further along than this, and updates are almost daily. If you want to actively shape the story as it goes along, check out the main game itself on the HEARTBEAT Discord server! For everyone else, the updates will slowly (but surely!) make their way here over time!


	4. Arc 2: Part 1

_ **Two months later...** _

You are **Mickayla Solomon**, underground courier for the Marchosias family, and second-generation Mimic refugee... but that's not important right now.

At the request of one of your family's benefactors, you have been tasked with making a delivery to The Sand Bar, though in all honesty, you really don't want anything to do with this.

But of course, June had to go and twist your arm like "Come on sis, she's in a bad way, and no one else wants to. Do it for me?" and you just couldn't say no after that.

Still, you're glad that only had to deal with her, and not your other... less friendly benefactor.

You enter the town, and set down the large box that you've been carrying. You take a deep breath, then wrinkle your nose. The places smells like day old fish... but that's probably to be expected.

When your arms finally recover, you pick the box back up, and travel down the road until you see an abandoned house.

Bingo.

You stop in front of the door, but you stop yourself from knocking when you notice the thick sheet of ice over the windows.

Out of habit, you stop and look at your reflection.

The pockets of your olive vest are crammed full of various belonging, some of them are even yours! The shirt and hiking skirt that you wear underneath are old and worn, but you can't bring yourself to ever get rid of them, they're one of the few things you have from your old home in the Den. Your boots however? You change those all the time. Nothing worse than a bad pair of boots.

Your black hair is currently tied up in a low hanging ponytail, but you'll probably change that soon. You like doing fun things with your hair, and you often try out new styles the moment you see them.

You blink at your reflection, and a pair of brown eyes blink back. Despite everything, you're still you.

You reach into one of your pockets, and retrieve a cellphone, then knock on the door.

Showtime.

Except... No one answers. You stop and think about it, and realize that does make sense. The person inside is a squatter, after all.

The hard way it is then. You run a hand over the cellphone, and you feel a sadness so deep that it almost completely overwhelms you. You screw your eyes shut, doing your best to ignore the flood of foreign memories.

When the voices stop, you open your eyes, and nod when you see the scythe in your other hand.

You shudder at the empty feeling in your chest, and wonder how anyone can live like this.

You slice the door open, and let the scythe fade away. You don't want to use that power any more than what you need to. It's... dangerous.

You look around the two-story house, and shiver. It's really cold in here. When you find no one on the bottom floor, you go upstairs...

And nearly jump out of your skin when a figure materializes out of thin air.

"Jared! You scared the living daylights outta me!"

The figure in front of you says nothing, but stares at you while breathing heavily. They take a step into the light shining in from one of the windows, and you wince.

Nyx Ronove stares back at you with a vacant expression on her face. The bags under her eyes are impossibly black, as if she hasn't slept in ages, and her clothes are hanging off of her far too thin frame.

"Who are y-you? What d-d-d-do you w-want...?" Her voice is wispy and frail, and you wonder how long it's been since she last spoke.

You look down at the package in your care, then back at her. You're still a bit sore about everything that happened before, and you have no obligations to her wellbeing other than ensuring that she opens the contents of the box, but...

Seeing her here in this sorry state, it's sad. You think you should try to have a conversation with her before you leave. But on the other hand... the more time you spend topside is more time spent away from home.

What will you do?

[] Start a friendly conversation: "Hey, Nyx... how've you been? Got a delivery for you!"

**[X] Be frank: "You look like crap."**

[] Be professional: " I'm just here to give you this package."

[] Try to lighten the mood: "Special Delivery!"

[] Be petty: "Remember me?"

[] Say nothing, but put the box in her hands and leave. You want to get away from her as fast as possible.

"You look like crap."

Nyx's eyes regain a bit of their clarity, as if she's seeing you for the first time.

Seconds pass...

.

..

...

....

And she lets out a low chuckle. When she stops laughing, she smiles back at you humorlessly.

"Y-Yeah. I f-f-f-feel like crap, t-t-too. Do I k-know you?"

Ah. Right. She's never seen you out of disguise. You debate whether or not to be sarcastic about things, but you decide not to push your luck.

"It's me, Mick. I have a package for you."

You hold the box out towards Nyx, but she takes a step back, eyeing the package warily.

"Look, I wanna see you about as much as you wanna see me right now, but don't shoot the messenger, alright? I'm just doing a favor for a friend. And speaking of friends... yours are really worried about you right now."

"...What's in the b-b-box?"

You already know, your curiosity got the better of you, and you sampled some of the memories of the original owner, although you instantly regretted it. The amount of emotional baggage tied to the original contents were nearly as bad as Nyx's... You didn't know humans were capable of living that long.

"It's from your Conjurer."

Nyx shakes her head, looks away from you, face wrought with shame.

"Eve's not my C-C-Conjurer anymore... I b-b-broke our pact."

You roll your eyes and correct her.

"I meant your other Conjurer."

Almost instantly, Nyx's eyes go wide, and she reaches out for the box in a burst of speed.

You step back just out of her reach, and her face drops into a scowl.

"Give it to me." Her voice has regained its strength, but you hold off. You still have something else that you need to deliver. You reach into one of your pockets, and pull out her cell phone, along with a manila envelope.

"You'll get it, but you have to take these first."

She looks between you and the packages, and you can tell that she's debating whether or not to try and rush you down for the box. She sighs, and takes the phone and folder from you. She opens the folder first, and dumps its contents into her hand. Two small pieces of paper and a small plastic card fall out.

"What is t-this?"

You walk over to the nearest light switch, and flick it on. The house fills with light, and Nyx looks around, stunned.

"It's your new bank account information, and the deed to the house. It's yours now. You've got about fourteen days before the month's land taxes are due. The info is all there."

Nyx shakily begins reading the first piece of paper, and the petty side of you that remembers what she put you through can't help but smile. Wait for it...

Nyx's eyes almost bug out of her head, and you assume she's just read the amount due.

"What?! I c-c-c-c-can't afford that!"

Thereeeeee it is.

"You've got enough in your account to afford some food and basic furniture, but if you wanna keep the lights on, you're gonna have to do like the rest of us normies, and get a job."

"B-B-But..." Nyx starts to stammer, but you cut her off.

"Look. You can do what you want, but my opinion? You've got some very good friends, don't crap on them by wasting what they've given you, alright?"

You drop the box to the floor, and turn to leave.

"Wait."

You sigh, and turn back around.

"What is it?" You don't bother hiding the annoyance in your voice.

"I'm s-sorry about e-everything from b-b-before."

You blink in surprise. You weren't expecting an apology, but it feels nice to get one all the same. You smile, and nod.

"Apology accepted. I'm gonna get out of your hair now; still got a couple of deliveries to make."

You turn around and leave before she says anything else. The door is still in shambles, but that's her problem now. You look around town for the nearest manhole cover. As you head back home, you let your thoughts go back to Nyx's predicament one last time.

It may just be your shared memories talking, but you really hope that package doesn't do more harm than good...

**\---START OF SECOND ARC---**

You are **Nyx Ronove**, Reaper, and former pactmate to the human ambassador.

And right now, you can't deal.

You've been roaming Piecewood for the last two months, living on scraps, and hiding in abandoned buildings for shelter. You eventually made your way to the Sand Bar, and took up "residence" there. When hunger gets the better of you, you go to the coast and try to grab a fish out of the water.

It works out about 25% of the time.

A few moments ago, you were visited by the Mimic from the fiasco that cost you your friends, your home... and very nearly took your sanity.

You turn your thoughts away from that line of thinking. It won't do you any good. You instead choose to focus on the items in hand.

It seems that you've been made a homeowner, though you currently have no idea how you're going to make **30,000 yuan in two weeks**.

There's also the issue of the cell phone. You turn on the screen, and see that there's a voicemail from Eve dated from two days ago. You aren't sure if you can handle dealing with her just yet after what you did.

You look to the box on the floor, and your heart catches in your throat. You aren't sure if Mick was lying to you or not, but you won't know until you look inside.

Before you can do anything, you feel a sharp pain in your chest and start coughing. Your core is in really bad condition, and you should probably try to find a doctor, or at least someone knowledgeable about Mogwai cores. You haven't been feeling good for some time, and it's only getting worse as the days go on.

What will you do?

[] Basic needs first; go outside and get some food. Maybe find a newspaper as well?

**[X] Open the box. You have to know.**

[] Takes the sewers to Harbei, and find Io. Maybe she knows someone that can help you with your core?

[] Listen to Eve's voice mail. You hope she's doing alright...

You can't put this off, you have to know what's inside. Carefully, you take the lid off of the box.

Inside, you see a sky-blue material covering the inside. You pull it up, and it continues to unfurl, ending in a loose spool of fabric.

It's appears to be an unfinished scarf. Was she making this for you? Underneath, you see her old beret, and you gently pick it up. You're already crying, but you don't care. You're just so **happy** that you have something to remember her by.

You spend the next few minutes clutching it close, then you look back inside the box. The rest of the contents are something that you haven't seen in a very long time. There are rows and rows of **VHS tapes** inside.

Unfortunately, the technology has long since become antiquated, and you have no idea where you might be able to find a **device to play them**.

You put everything back in the box, then you wipe your face. Your curiosity has been satisfied, but you now have a burning question in your mind. What is on those tapes, and why are there so many? There's nothing you can do about that for now, so you go back to considering your next choice of actions.

What will you do?

[] Basic needs first: go outside and get some food. Maybe find a newspaper and look through the classifieds for work?

[] Takes the sewers to Harbei, and find Io. Maybe she knows someone that can help you with your core?

**[X] Listen to Eve's voice mail. You hope she's doing alright...**

You take a look at your phone, swipe to the voicemail menu, and spend the next five minutes looking at the only message in your inbox.

It's almost three minutes long.

You run the risk of bringing your mood back down from its current high point, but you also understand that this isn't something that you should put off. You press the play button, and you can hear Eve's steady breathing. Two seconds pass in the recording before she finally speaks:

"Hey, Nyx? It's me. Um... I dunno if you still have your phone, but... I'm gonna leave you a message. Just in case. I wanted to let you know how everyone's been doing. Shep loaned us some money, and we got the shop fixed up last week. We were closed up for a while, so things have been kinda tight, and I'm working with gramps for free now... but the shop's gotten really busy lately, so everything's working out. Io is..."

There's an uncomfortable pause, as if she's trying to find the words to soften a hard blow.

"Io's... in the hospital, but she's doing better. She still doesn't have any feeling in her fingers, but she's at least able to use them now. She's just kinda... clumsy about it. Hehe... Beck was just telling me yesterday about how she declared all silverware as her mortal enemy. Hahahahaaaaa..."

Her laughter is hollow, and just a little shaky.

"...She doesn't blame you for what happened. None of us do. If anything, Io blames herself for everything. June too. I know you don't like anyone in your business, but I... I told her about the scarf, Nyx... about what it means-ah ...what it meant to you. She's been looking all over for you ever since, can you believe that? She feels really bad about what happened, Nyx... and I do too."

Her voice squeaks a bit at the end of her last sentence, and you can tell by her heaving breaths that she's crying.

"I'm... I'm not doin' too good, Nyx. I can't feel you anymore, and it scares me! It makes me feel like I've failed you and Abue Xin! There's so much I want to ask you about her, and I'm sorry I never reached out to you before! I just figured you wanted your space, and I didn't-"

A minute passes as she sets the phone down to compose herself. When she picks it up again, she sounds considerably calmer, but emotionally drained.

"June said that you would come back on your own when you felt ready, and I really want to believe that. But if you're out there listening to this... can you do me a favor? Please let me know that you're okay. You don't have to call me if you don't want to, just send me a text, a postcard, anything. If nothing else... please go see Io? She's acting tough, but she's really having a hard time... and it would mean a lot to her if you visited. I'll keep this phone line open for you for as long as I can, alright? I'll... try calling again in a few days. Hope you're doing alright out there."

The message ends, and your good mood ends with it. You feel extremely guilty right now... but you push that feeling down, refusing to let yourself dwell on it. You can't change what you've done, so the only thing you can do, is focus on what you can. You open the text messenger, and leave a message for Eve.

**> I'm okay. Staying at the Sand Bar. Please don't worry about me, you did nothing wrong. Thank you.**

You send the text, then as an addendum you add another line.

**> I'll help with money as soon as I can. What hospital is Io staying at?**

You may potentially be digging yourself into an even deeper hole of debt, but you don't think twice about the commitment.

You feel a strong sense of purpose; even stronger than the need for revenge that once guided you. You don't know how you're going to do it, but you're going to **do everything in your power make things right. For yourself, and for everyone you've affected with your actions.**

You put your phone away, and decide to go outside. You need to find work as soon as possible.

You step outside of your new house... and turn around when you notice that your front door is laying in two halves on the ground.

Damn it... You're going to need to replace that.

"Hey neighbor!"

You see a selkie walking down the street towards you. She waves at you with a flipper, and compulsively, you wave back. You're going to be living around these people from now on, and it would be a good idea to get to know everyone at some point.

"H-H-Hi."

"Saw the lights come on, and I thought I'd stop by to welcome you into the neighborhood! It's been a while since we had new neighbors!"

When she finally gets close enough, she props herself up on her tail, and extends a flipper for a handshake.

"I'm Yoke!"

You grab the flipper, and shake firmly.

"Nyx. N-N-Nice to meet you."

"Well I'm pleased as punch to meet you too!" She nods enthusiastically, and plops back down onto the sand with a huff.

"Well I'm a little late for work, so I need to get going; just wanted to say hello real quick!"

Yoke turns away, but you quickly call out to her.

"Hold on a s-s-s-sec. Can I ask you something?"

The selkie raises her upper body off the ground in what you think is the closest thing to a shrug that she can manage.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"I'm looking for w-w-work, do you know where I can find someplace that's h-h-hiring?"

"Hmmm. That's a toughie! Lot of us out here live off the ocean, and I work out of town. You can always check the bulletin board down by the museum. Oh! That's right! The museum's had a curator position open for ages now, but..."

Yoke waves you closer, and you lean in with your ear as she whispers.

"Just between you and me? I wouldn't work there. The owners are nice, but a little weird. That, and my best friend used to work there. Selkie like me. Just vanished one day, and never came back! I'd be really careful around that place if I were you... there's something off about it."

Feeling satisfied with having said her piece, the selkie bounds off down the road. You stop to consider your options.

You're still really hungry, but given that most people here catch what they eat, you're probably not going to find a restaurant anywhere nearby. You could always do some shopping at another tow-

Oh wait. You don't have a fridge. This could be a problem...

You could likely subsist on fast food for a while, but it would probably be a good idea to find a department store that sells furniture and appliances at some point. You keep that thought in the back of your mind for now.

The Sand Bar Museum is the closest place you can go to start looking for work, but nothing's stopping you from traveling to another town. It might be a good idea to try and reconnect with some of the others in Eve's circle, and see if they can help you.

What will you do?

[] Take a look at the bulletin board outside of the museum for any ads that catch your eye.

[] Go to the museum, and talk to Nile and Ark about the job opening.

**[X] Go to the sewers, and see what Ven's been up to. Maybe get something to eat while you're at it. You're starving.**

You turn in the direction of the museum, but before you can take another step, you feel you core grumble at you.

You quickly change direction, and make a beeline for the nearest manhole cover. You have to eat something right now, or you are going to collapse. You descend the ladder, and as you reach the bottom, the sound of music fills the air.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRVCyHzAtdY

You step past the open gate, and gawk openly at the spectacle before you.

"Okay! Now one-two-three, one-two-three, keep-in-step! One-two-three..."

In front of you, Ven Berith sways back in forth in what you think is a waltz. You vaguely recall trying to learn this dance in order to impress your Eve, but you never made it past the first lesson. Ven moves with the grace of a dancer that has spent years dedicating themselves to their art.

And so does her dance partner.

Her Tiny Oni dance partner.

As you struggle to process what it is you're seeing, the Tiny Oni known as Tony moves his leading leg forward behind hers, and the two of them perform an amazing twirl, stopping just as the music ends. The two let go of each other’s hands, and walk back towards the shop.

"See? I told you we'd get the hang of this!"

"I'm still not feelin it, man. Can't we go back to trap dancing?"

"That was a mistake, and we don't talk about that anymore, Tony."

"Whatever."

The two of them continue down the path, and you step into the main chamber as they leave.

Odd. You don't see a boombox anywhere.

"Are you going stand out there all day, or are you going to say hello? Come in! "

You step inside Ven's shop, and she greets you with a wide smile. It not one of her usual wry smiles, and it takes you by surprise.

"Welcome! It's good to know that you're alive and... well?"

She takes in your appearance, and you can feel her silently judging you.

"She looks like a ghost hobo, man..."

And you can hear Tony audibly judging you.

"S-S-S-shut up."

"What are you gonna do, man? Beat me with your hobo stick?"

You decide to ignore Tony, and focus on Ven instead. You start with the thing that brought you down here to begin with.

You pull out your wallet, and hand her your bank card.

"I don't have any m-m-materials, but I have money. I need to eat."

Ven looks at the card, then back to you. She shakes her head, and pushes the card back into your hands.

"Don't worry about it; it's free of charge. I'm about to close up shop, why don't you stay a while and have lunch with us?"

Tony blows a raspberry at you.

"She's all grungy, man! I don't wanna eat next to that!"

"...You sound cranky, Tony. Maybe you need to take a rest in your quiet corner?"

He jumps off his spot on top of her counter, and quickly begins edging towards the exit.

"Nah I'm good, man! I'mma go hang out with Big Sean!"

Without waiting for Ven's approval, he zips out of the shop... and up the nearest ladder.

You don't think he's coming back.

"It's alright, he's tagged." Ven says nonchalantly.

You internally come to the decision that you never want to get on this woman's bad side.

.

..

...

You scarf down the last plate of flan, and you feel like a new Mog.

"I hope that this is enough to get you back on your feet."

You nod.

"Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it! So... how have you been?"

You give Ven a deadpan stare, and she shrugs.

"Just being polite. I imagine you probably have some questions for me, don't you?"

You nod, and her smile disappears. Her lips are pursed. And her eyes dart around the room for a moment. Finally, she inhales and speaks.

"If want to ask me about what happened down here, I apologize, but that's not a conversation that you and I get to have."

"W-Why?"

"...You know what? Why don't you take a bath, while I wash your clothes? You'll feel better, I promise!

Ven deflects your question with another dose of hospitality. Part of you wants to protest, but you hold yourself in check. She's done nothing but show you kindness in your time of need, and there's no point to being hostile.

"Okay."

"Great! Strip down, while I run the bath! ::clap:: "

She opens her mouth, and you hear the sound of hands clapping. A small pathway behind her opens up, and she walks inside. You look to your side and see a fuzzy purple bathrobe. You're pretty sure that space was empty a moment ago, but you're past questioning these things.

You take off your clothes, and change into the robe left out for you. A few minutes later, Ven comes back, takes your clothes, and escorts you into the space behind the shop. Inside is a lavish bathroom with a gigantic tub in the center filled to the brim with hot water and suds.

"Go on!"

Clutching your clothes to her chest, Ven nudges you with her hips, and you take the hint. You slide the bathrobe off and step into the tub.

.

..

...

You have not felt this relaxed in years. Your body practically melts into the water, and you close your eyes and submerge your head.

When you come back up, you hook your arms over the sides of the tub and lean back. Behind you, the sounds of a washing machine echo reverberate throughout the room. You look to your right, and see Ven leaning against the tub, with her hands folded under her chin. Her wry smile is back again.

"Soooo. 'Bone Mama', huh?"

You sink your head back under the water, groan, and resolve to never let anyone else do your laundry ever again.

Ven seems to be in a good mood, but if you're going to ask her anything, you should probably avoid talking about what happened in the sewers.

What will you ask her about? (Choose two.)

[] Inquire about Tony. That's... not something you see every day.

[] Ask if she knows about any job openings

**[X] Ask if she knows where to find a VHS player**

[] Press her on the sewer incident two months ago.

**[X] Ask about how the others are doing.**

[] Ask her if she knows where to buy or find furniture.

[] Ask her if she knows a Mimic named Mickayla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the original iteration of this story, Ven's little emoji-speak trick was accounted for with the use of actual emoji in the text, but since I can't for the life of me figure out how to port it over to Ao3, I've had to leave it out.


	5. Arc 2: Part 2

You ignore Ven's playful jab at your choice in undergarments, and ask her several questions.

"Hey V-Ven, you wouldn't happen to own a VHS p-p-player, would you?"

From the side of the tub, Ven looks at you quizzically, and scratches her head.

"Hm? I'm not sure I know what that is... can you describe exactly what it is?"

You attempt to explain the function of a VHS player to the best of your ability, but the look on your face tells you that she's drawing a blank.

"So, it's like a vintage sort of video player? I’m sorry, but I've never seen anything like that. I'll certainly ask around about it if you'd like. Would you be alright with exchanging contact information?"

You nod, and Ven passes you her phone. You type your number into the box, then hand it back.

"Hm! Now that I think about it, Leigh might know what you're talking about! She's out of town right now, but I'll ask her about it the next time I hear from her."

"I really ap-p-preciate the help. Thanks..."

"Anytime... You still look like you have something on your mind."

You look back down towards the water and sigh.

"Just w-w-wondering how everyone is d-d-d-doing."

"Ah."

Neither of you say anything for some time. You decide to broach the unspoken question.

"H-H-Have you seen a-a-any of the others?"

Ven shakes her head sadly.

"I don't really leave my shop too often... I've only seen Eve travel through a couple of times, and she doesn't stop to buy anything or say 'hi' either. I think she's working part time jobs in her spare time. I do speak with Miss Sanjo regularly, but it's mostly just for her weekly supplies. She travels quite often."

You scrunch your face at this bit of information.

"I didn't t-t-think you k-knew June."

"She's actually one of my biggest customers. I don't know the details, but I think she's working off of a grant of some sort? We've talked a couple of times; she's actually quite driven, and a lot more intelligent than what she lets on."

You hum in response. Once you've taken care of all your essential business, you should probably go apologize to her at some point.

"Oh! Almost f-f-f-f-forgot!" Both you and Ven wince at your drawn-out stutter, and once you calm down, you start again.

"I'm l-looking for work; do you know anyone t-t-that's hiring?"

Ven grins, and with a wink, she picks up her phone and starts typing furiously. A few seconds later, you hear the text notification sound come from your phone.

"So, I have a digital subscription to the Daily Piecewood, and I just sent you a copy of today's classified and personals. I haven't looked through them yet, so I don't know if anything there will help, but take a look. I'll send you another one tomorrow too if you want."

You look at Ven with gratefulness in your eyes. Despite being near-strangers, she's done a great deal to help you as best as she can.

It's incredibly rude, but you can't help it. You have to ask.

"Why are you h-h-helping me?"

If Ven is offended, she doesn't show it. At the same time that she turns away from you, the washer stops. She pulls your clothes out of the machine, and you can see her eyes looking back at you over her shoulder with an expression you can't quite make heads or tails of.

"Why should I need a reason to help someone?"

She walks out of the bathroom, and leaves you to your thoughts.

You spend another twenty minutes in the tub before drying off, and going upstairs.

Your clothes are in a neat pile behind the counter. You pick them up, and quickly get changed behind a large wooden box. When you come back out fully dressed, you see Ven waiting for you.

"Well it's been a nice break, but I need to get back to work!"

You wonder what all of this 'work' she speaks of is, but you keep your thoughts to yourself.

"T-T-Thank you again, V-V-Ven. Really."

"You're starting to sound like a broken record! If you really want to thank me, then come back and buy something sometime~ :grin: "

"M-M-Maybe I will."

"I'll be seeing you then, Bone Mama!"

You suck your teeth, and Ven grins back at you.

Surprisingly, you find yourself genuinely returning the gesture.

**\---Affinity raised with Ven---**

You leave the shop, and open your phone. It appears that Eve hasn't sent a reply yet. You check the link that Ven forwarded you, and scroll through the various listings:

_-WANTED: Cashier - Smallmart is Now Hiring for entry level positions at our Aeros location! Please see store manager for details!_

_\- LOCAL TALENT WANTED: Ever wanted to be on TV? San Junipero's world famous Luchador soap-opera is now looking for extras! EARN UP TO 1000 YUAN A DAY! Send an email for more details..._

_-Local Museum looking for an Overnight Curator. Mogwai applicants are preferred. Pay starts at 7000 Yuan weekly, with room for bonuses based on performance. Please send all inquiries to Nile Foras, or inquire in person._

_-Looking for a Sleep Study Participant. Must be willing to ingest multiple doses of untested sleep aids, as well as sleep in cramped spaces while under surveillance. Willing to pay 30,000 Yuan to compatible participants. See Dr. Stolas in Otecho for more information._

_-Looking to make friends/gym buddies. I have some health issues, so I don't like working out by myself. My usual partner isn't available, but I'd still like to get some time in. If you feel comfortable spotting someone, or even if you're a fitness newbie, hit me up!_

_-Are you a Mogwai that wants to tell the world your story? Why not get paid to do it? Please contact June Sanjo in Solburg for more details!_

_-Personal Assistant to Doctor Wanted. Must be comfortable working in stressful environments. Will train on-site. Pay starts at 50,000 Yuan a month. Mogwai Only. Inquire at Harbei Hospital, Ask for Dr. Ose._

...To be honest, you aren't really sure what to make of most of these.

The cashier position doesn't even list a starting pay, but you're also familiar with the shop manager. You don't know for sure if Ann would be willing to give you a job, or if it would even be enough, but it's certainly an avenue you can look into.

...The TV extra doesn't seem very viable, but maybe you could network, and meet someone that could help you.

The Curator one seems simple enough. 7000 might not be a lot, but if it's a night job, you might be able to squeeze in other activities during the day. Besides you'd just be watching a bunch of fish, how hard could it be?

You're very hesitant to deal with Luca in general, but assuming that you're what she's looking for, this would be a guaranteed thing. Still, the details aren't entirely clear... It'd be best to just ask about it in person.

It's not exactly a high priority on your list, but you could definitely stand to take better care of your body. Maybe hitting the gym with someone might do you some good. You should probably secure a form of work first.

You have absolutely no interest in telling June about yourself, but you still need to apologize to her at some point. Plus, if she's got money to throw around on things like alchemy ingredients, she might have some other opportunities for you to pursue.

You aren't sure how to feel about the Assistant position. Stress is something that's extremely dangerous to you, but assuming that you can get the job, if you can convince your employer to give you a pay advance, you'll be in the clear, and have enough left over to help out Eve.

Which one will you look into today?

[] Cashier - Maybe Ann can help you out?

[] TV Extra - You never know, you might make it big!

**[X] Curator - Get paid to watch a bunch of fish. Easy money.**

[] Sleep Study - Get paid to sleep? Sounds to good to be true!

[] Gym buddy - There's no need to rush. Maybe you can make a new friend?

[] Doctor's Assistant - No risk, no reward. It might be stressful, but you might learn a thing or two.

You decide to travel back to the Sand Bar and look into the Curator position. On the way over, you pass your house, and groan when you look at the front door (or rather, the lack thereof).

You really need to get that fixed. As you walk down the road, you pull out your phone, and run a search for 'Door replacement costs'. You're pleased to see that getting a new door installed shouldn't set you back more than 1500 yuan.

Now that you think about it, you haven't actually checked the bank account that Mickayla mentioned. You look at your bank card, and dial the number on the back.

.

..

...

**"Your checking account has an available balance of: 18,000 yuan."**

Your breath hitches at the number, and you hang up. You still have no idea who forwarded you this money. You initially assumed it was Mickayla, but then you recall that she mentioned that she was only making a delivery. If that's the case, then who exactly went through all of this trouble on your behalf?

When you look up, you notice that you've already arrived at the museum. You go inside.

The main hall is surprisingly empty. The strange looking Cait Sith is nowhere to be found, and the gerbil and hamster are both locked inside of their cages. The door to the Avi's 'Cheevo' room has a sign on it that says: _Under renovation. Please look forward to a new exhibit soon!_

On top of the front desk, you see a handwritten note, and pick it up. It reads: _Currently out for lunch. Please come back later._

You suck your teeth, and put the note back down. You're annoyed for wasting time like this, but it's not like you knew they wouldn't be here. You turn around to leave, when you hear a loud thump from behind you.

It sounds like it came from inside the aquarium. You wait another second, and then you hear it again, but this time, you hear something that sounds a lot like a whale song follow immediately afterwards. It almost sounds like something is slamming against the side of one of the fish tanks.

You walk over to the door, and try the knob. It turns, but you aren't sure if you should go inside.

It could be an intruder, but it could also just be a new addition to the tanks.

What will you do?

**[X] Investigate. You may be trespassing, but better safe than sorry.**

[] Wait in the main hall for the owners to return.

[] Leave a note, and go elsewhere.

You turn the knob, and enter the room. The lights are all off, save for ambient lighting of the lanterns hanging overhead. You notice that a new tank has been built inside the wall on the far right. There's a curtain drawn over it, but you can see some sand peeking out from the bottom. You hear another thump and deduce that the sound is coming from there.

You creep closer, and this time, you're certain you hear something squeal inside the tank. The next slam that follows is considerably more violent. At this point you're convinced that whatever's in there is attacking one of its tank mates.

"S-S-Stop!" You don't know why you're calling out to a fish, but you do it anyway. You rush forward to throw the curtain open, but a small hand wraps around your arm and pulls you back.

You turn around to see Tate Astaroth giving you an amused look.

"Yeaaaaaaah... you don't wanna do that. Trust me. You need something? Let's go out front and talk it out; they probably won't be done for another half hour anyway..."

She drags you out by the arm without waiting for a response. When the two of you get back to the main hall, she slams the door behind you, probably a lot harder than what was necessary. She steps behind the counter, and clears her throat. You can tell she's just doing it for theatrics.

"Ahem... Welcome to the Sand Bar Museum! How can I help you today... wait, have we met before?"

You nod.

"B-B-Barely. I used to be E-E-Eve's M-Mog."

Tate shrugs.

"So, what'd you need? If you want a tour, you're gonna have to wait."

"Actually, I'm h-h-here about the job."

At this, Tate's eyes brighten up.

"Wait, really?! That'd be awesome, we could use some more muscle! Let me see if I can't find the paperwork..."

Wait. Muscle?

Before you can ask her what she means by that, she bends over and starts looking through various items underneath the desk.

"Um, let's see... Missing specimens No. Accident reports... Tank cleaning logs... Star charts? Dammit, Avi... Ah! Here we go!"

Tate pops back up and hands you a sheet of paper. You read the top...

And notice a glaring discrepancy in the job title.

"I t-t-thought this was a desk job... the title on the p-paper says s-s-s-specimen collector."

Tate pauses, then rolls her eyes.

"Oh... you're here about that job. Yeah, we have an overnight spot open. But are you sure you aren't interested? I've been wanting to get off-world for a while now, but we don't have enough manpower for anything fun. At least read it over before you turn it down."

You take another look at the paper in your hands.

JOB TITLE: Specimen Collector

PAY RATE: 7000 per excursion, with an additional 8000 upon successful return.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Specimen Collector will assist crew in locating and safely retrieving flora and fauna from various "exotic" locales. (Applicants must agree to sign nondisclosure agreement upon confirming employment. Employees may be exposed to various hazards including but not limited to: animal/plant toxins, sentient viral contagions, cosmic rays, contact from outer beings, sudden bouts of Pon Farr, and wild attacks from indigenous populations.)

Benefits include: Full Health Care and Dental Plan.

"I don't know about t-t-this. Sounds dangerous."

Tate laughs.

"Naaaah. It'll be fine! We usually only head out **once a week** for this kind of stuff, and we're always **back in the same day**. The most you'll have to do is bust a couple of heads open, maybe a little running here or there. So, you could take another job if you wanted to, just **keep one day out of the week free for us!** Easy stuff! C'mooooon. You know you wanna."

It seems Tate is quite eager for you to take the job, but you aren't sure if you like (or even comprehend) the risks.

You could always just take the curator job, but that's a full week commitment for a lot less money.

What will you do?

**[X] Accept the Specimen Collector job.**

[] Decline Tate's offer, but take the curator position instead.

[] Say you'll think about it, and look elsewhere for now.

You look down at the paper, then back at Tate's eager face.

You give in to peer pressure, and decide to go with her offer.

"Alright. S-Sign me up."

She snatches the paper out of your hands, and makes several marks with a pen in various spots. She goes back under the desk, and pulls several other sheets of paper, and does the same. She stops for a moment, looks back towards the door to the aquarium, and takes a deep breath.

"Niiiiiilllllle! Arrrrrrk! We got a new hire! **HURRY UP!**" Tate screams, and you plug your ears. For someone so tiny, she is astoundingly loud.

A few seconds later, Ark bursts through the door angrily.

"What, Tate?! What is so important that you gotta bother us right now?!"

Tate doesn't bother looking up from the paperwork she's currently on.

"Got us a new specimen collector. Eve's friend. The blue one."

Ark's face goes blank, and the she turns to you.

"Huh. Well, that's... that's actually really good news!" She grins, and you can see the light reflecting off her razor-sharp teeth.

"Nyx, right? Haven't seen you or Eve in a while! How've you been?"

It seems that the news of what happened hasn't reached them. You decide to tell Ark the bare minimum.

"I've b-been better. I m-m-moved into the area, and I'm still g-getting settled in."

"Really? You're our neighbor now? Fancy that!"

Behind Ark, Nile steps out from behind the doorway. Her hair is wrapped up in a red towel, and her glasses are missing.

"That is a bit surprising, actually. I never pictured you as the home owning type."

You shrug, and Nile gives you a knowing smile.

"Well, whatever your reasons are, I hope striking out on your own works out for you. I understand you're here about our... specimen collector position?"

You nod, and Nile steps behind the counter. Tate steps back out, and Ark pulls her over to the side of the room, and the two of them start bickering over something just out of earshot. You turn your attention back to Nile as she looks over the papers that Tate prepared for you. She reaches under the desk, and produces a pen.

"Alright. Let's get started. Any allergies?"

"No."

"Take any medications?"

"No."

"Any history of depression, or anxiety?" She looks over the paper at you, and you stare back blankly.

"...I know, but I have to ask all the same."

"...Y-Yes."

"Any living relatives?"

"I d-d-don't know."

"Almost done, these next two are important. Are you comfortable with signing an NDA?"

You shake your head, as you are unfamiliar with the term.

"It basically means that by signing it, you agree not to talk about your job with anyone. Can you do that?"

You nod. You aren't exactly the most talkative person to begin with anyway.

"Alright, last question... In the event of your untimely demise... is there anyone you would like us to leave your belongings and account information with?"

**[X] Eve**

[] Io

[] Ven

The choice is so obvious, you don't even need to think about it. If it weren't for her, you might still be nothing more than a revenge fueled husk... or worse.

"Eve. Y-You can leave my t-t-things with her."

**\---Affinity raised with Eve---**

"...Alright. If you're certain that this is what you want to do, sign here, and we'll give you a test run **two days from now**."

Nile hands you the last sheet, and you sign your name at the very bottom. You hand it back, and she smiles.

"Well then! I do believe that takes care of everything, I look forward to working with you, Miss Ronove!"

She offers you a hand, and you shake it. She stares down at your chest for a moment, then looks back at you.

"I don't want to pry, but... are you feeling alright?"

You're about to ask what she means when you feel the sharp pain in your core return. Your face contorts in pain, and you clutch at your sides as you struggle to breathe. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Ark and Tate drop their conversation and rush over to your side. Ark steers you over to the nearest chair and helps you sit down.

You close your eyes, and ride the pain out. When you open them again, Tate is standing in front of you with a glass of water. You grab it, and drink it down greedily. Ark sits down next to you as you catch your breath.

"You alright?"

You're not. In fact, you're feeling quite drained all of a sudden. The most you can manage right now is a shake of your head.

"I think..." Nile says slowly "I think we should hold off on your employment until you get a physical done."

"Hey, didn't Harbei open up a wing for Mogwai recently?" Tate interjects.

Ark scowls, though you aren't sure why.

"Yeah, but it's-"

Nile places a hand on Ark's shoulder, and she calms down.

"Ark? Tate? Why don't you two go set up the aquarium?"

Ark is about to say something, but Tate grabs her, and shakes her head. They disappear into the next room, leaving you and Nile alone.

"So? Were you ever going to mention that you were sick, or were you going to just keep it to yourself the entire time?"

"T-T-This is the w-worst it's ever b-been."

Nile places a hand to her temple and sighs.

"Listen Nyx, what we do? It's dangerous... and I can't have you on board until I know you won't be a liability to us... do you understand? I'm still willing to take you on in two days, but you need to get checked out before then."

Your mood has become **frustrated**.

You nod, slowly get up, and shuffle towards the door.

"I mean it, Nyx. Go see a doctor."

You keep walking.

Your fatigue catches up to you the moment you step outside of the museum. The day so far could be best summed up as: one step forward, two steps back.

You look at your phone.

The time is **late afternoon**. You have enough time to make **one more trip for the day before it's time to head home**.

You still haven't heard back from Eve, but you aren't sure you can handle talking to her in your current state.

There's also the looming issue of your health. You two options: you could ask Luca to take a look at you, or you could look into checking into Harbei Hospital... although you don't know how much that might cost you.

Alternatively, you could ignore your problems, and look for another job, or go furniture hunting.

What will you do?

[] Go to the hospital. If they bill you, it's not as if you have to pay it all at once.

**[X] Go see Luca. You can't afford a real doctor right now.**

[] Give Eve a call. You miss her.

[] Ask Ven if she knows where to buy or find furniture.

[] Look into another job/personal from the list (specify.)

You stop by the manhole cover to catch your breath. You don't know what's wrong, but it's getting worse by the moment. You climb down the ladder, then make your way to the Otecho manhole as quietly as possible; you don't want to run the risk of making Ven worry.

You emerge from the sewers, and head towards the apartment complex. When you reach Patch's apartment, you bang against the door as hard as you can. You’re starting to grow weak, and you brace yourself against the wall on the opposite side of the door. You keep taking deep breaths, but it feels like you aren't getting enough oxygen.

You don't know how much longer you can hold out...

.

..

...You hear the sound of slippers shuffling on the other side of the door, and an irritated voice calls out.

"If you're another groupie, then you're out of luck; Patch is on tour for the month."

You hear the slippers move away, and you quickly throw yourself against the door.

"L-Luca!"

You lose sensation in your legs, and you slide down the door until it opens up, and you go sliding face down into Patch's apartment.

"Oh... it's just the Reaper."

You manage to turn your head to the side, and you see Luca Stolas squatting next to your face. She's holding her glasses with the sleeves of her coat.

Her gaze is eerily cold.

"What do you want?"

"I d-d-don't feel so g-g-g-good."

Luca waves her hand dismissively.

"Oh, I've no doubt about that; I know Acute Core Failure when I see it. The question is, what do you want me to do about it?"

You stare up at Luca, unbelieving. She leans in close, and you can smell the chemicals on her breath.

"Io has been an invaluable asset to my research. Out of the hundreds that came and went before her, she stands as the one."

Her face morphs into a bitter scowl.

"And because of your brutish actions, she has been hurt in ways that I. Cannot. Fix."

She stares at you for several long seconds before placing her glasses back on. Her emotions are back under guard, and she pushes her glasses farther up her nose.

"You are a waste of Mogwai life, doing nothing but dragging others along in your death spiral. Tell me, Nyx Ronove... why would I ever want to help you?"

You feel your head getting dizzy.

You don't have much time left.

What do you say?

[] Plead for assistance - You'll do anything, but you can't die here. You'll accept whatever terms she offers.

[] Force her into helping you - She might be smarter than you, but you're still stronger. Get the better of her while you can, and make her help.

[] Guilt trip her into assistance - Remind her that Io is quite fond of you. How would she react if you died on her doorstep?

**[X] Write in. (Be honest - Tell her that you don't want to die while you still have people to apologize to. You can't take back your actions, but you want to let them know how you feel.)**

"I c-c-can't die like this..."

You struggle to get up, but the best you can do is roll yourself onto you back. You see Luca turn away, and walk into the bathroom. When she comes back out, you see her holding an uncomfortably large syringe in her hand. She watches you, but doesn't say a word.

Your life is in her hands, and the both of you know it.

You close your eyes...

And you're back inside that cell, chained to the floor. You know it's a hallucination, but you can almost feel the shackles digging into your wrist. You stare back up at the ceiling, and cry.

"I'm s-s-sorry... I j-j-j-just wanted to make t-things right... All I do is m-mess up! I I'm sorry, alright?! If you w-w-want me dead, f-f-fine! But j-just let me see Io f-f-first."

The corners of your vision are starting to fade away, but you hear Luca voice echo around you.

"Fascinating. You should've been dead minutes ago, but your core just won't quit... why are you so insistent on living, when the only way you can exist is in a constant state of misery? Wouldn't it just be easier to lay down and give in?"

You grit your teeth, and with your last breath, you answer her, clear and true.

"...I can't let everything that I've done, and everything that I've been through be for nothing."

The world fades to black.

.

..

...


	6. Arc 2: Part 3

You quickly sit up, and your breaths come to you as if someone had just poured a bucket of cold water over your head.

You look around, and you realize that you're naked, and submerged in a tub for the second time today. There's an IV hooked up to your wrist, and inside, you see a thick purple fluid being pulled out of you.

You look down at your chest, and see a small scar over the place where your core would be.

"I have to give you credit, Nyx... you are an extremely tenacious individual."

You look over your shoulder, and see Luca sitting on top of the toilet lid with an uncomfortably wide grin on her face.

"W-W-What did yo-"

"All I did... was take a piece of your core. Everything else was all you."

She reaches into her coat and pulls out a core shard. Its colors are a faded blue almost completely swallowed up by vantablack at the bottom.

You suppress a shudder.

"W-W-W-What h-happened?"

Luca takes a specimen jar off the bathroom rack, and places the core shard in it.

"In my own experiences, what I just witnessed defies everything I know about science... but there's no mistaking it. You died, Nyx."

Your eyes go wide.

"Your core ceased to function, and I dragged you into my workplace to harvest your essence. The next thing I know, your mouth starts moving, and sounds are coming out... Then your body excised that piece of core from you, and then you started breathing again. I have never seen anything like this before."

Luca continues to mutter to herself, but you ignore all of that in favor of clinging onto what she said before.

She let you die, and intended to use your remains for research.

You feel violated.

You stand up, and rip the IV from out of your arm. Luca jumps up with a start, but your scythe is in your hands before she can try anything.

"W-W-Wait! Wait!" Luca stammers.

You hold the scythe to her neck, and she gulps audibly before continuing.

"This is uncharted territory. A Mog doesn't just come back from the dead after-"

"I d-don't care."

"Well you should! You may be alright now, but I have never seen a core behave like this, and we don't know if you'll have a relapse! You need to stay overnight, so I can monitor you for any changes!"

You pull away, and Luca quickly puts some distance between the two of you.

As far as you're concerned, you would be well within your right to beat the living daylights out of her (at the least) for what she was about to do, but assuming that what she said is true... you may need to rely on her knowledge for now.

What will you do?

[] Ask for your clothes back, then the two of you can discuss things calmly (for now.)

[] Agree to stay overnight. You may not like it, but you're afraid of what might happen if she's right.

**[X] Extort for cash. Agree to stay, but threaten to tell everyone what happened if she doesn't help you financially.**

[] Put her through the wringer. It's the least she deserves.

[] Ask for your clothes back, then leave. Say nothing to anyone, it would crush them to know Luca was capable of this.

You look at the gyochu in front of you with disgust, then look to the specimen jar sitting on the rack.

...Did that really come out of you? You don't know what to think. You sit down on the edge of the tub, flinching slightly when the porcelain touches your legs. You are not mentally prepared for any of this, but if Luca thinks that she's going to get off the hook without any consequences, she has another thing coming.

"If I s-s-say yes... I need-"

At the prospect of being able to observe you, Luca quickly cuts you off and vigorously nods her head.

"Whatever you want. Name your price."

You look back at her, surprised. You didn't expect her to be so compliant...

"30,000 y-y-yuan. Upfront."

Luca digs into her pockets, and produces a thick stack of bills which she places on the rack.

"Done. Let's move to the bedroom."

Luca looks at you expectantly, and you realize that she doesn't trust you enough to leave the room first. It's more than fair, as you likely would have just taken the money and run. You walk towards the bathroom door, but stop when you notice something familiar sitting in the waste bin.

"You threw m-my c-c-c-clothes in the g-garbage?!"

Luca shrugs.

"It seemed like the sensible thing to do. A cadaver doesn't require clothing after all."

.

..

...

You lay back on the bed wearing just your underwear while Luca sits in a chair next to you. She's scribbling something down, occasionally stopping to wince and dab at the swollen side of her face with an ice pack.

You don't feel bad about punching her in the slightest.

"So, let's start with the basics. How do you feel right now, physically? Don't leave any detail out, regardless of how small you think it might be."

You look down at yourself, and flex your arms several times for good measure.

You feel... surprisingly good. If you're being honest, you feel better than you have in quite some time. Your body doesn't feel as sluggish as it had been for the last two months... maybe even longer.

You tell Luca as much, and she starts scribbling down notes again.

"And how do you feel... emotionally?"

"L-L-Like I want to p-p-punch you again."

"Nyx, take this seriously."

"I'm b-being completely serious."

Luca looks away from you.

"That's... fair. I don't suppose it would help if I said I was sorry, would it?"

"Would it be the t-t-truth?"

Her shoulders sag, but she continues writing.

"I need one last thing from you... would you show me your entire core?"

"...What for?"

"Your body physically pushed that shard out of you. I only made a small incision to help it along. I need to see how the rest has been affected. If it makes you feel more comfortable... I'll keep my distance."

You sigh, and reach within yourself, and pull your entire core out. You notice that something is off right away. The color is... slightly off from what you're used to seeing. Despite her earlier promise, Luca is uncomfortably close. She peers at your core for another moment, then begins to shake her head.

"No... this can't be right. Heh. Hehehehe!"

Her laughter is different. Joyful. She drops her clipboard with a clatter, and races back to the bathroom, still giggling. She peeks her head back out and jabs a sleeve in your direction.

"Stay there, and don't move!"

She slams the door, and you hear the sound of glass clattering about. When she comes back, she's holding an armful of core samples which she dumps on top of the chair in front of her. She holds up a bright red core to your face.

"Io: Four years ago." She places it back down and picks up another; this one is closer in color to pink. "Io: Seven years ago."

Luca grows louder and more excited with each sample she goes through. She picks up another sample; and this one is nearly the same shade of blue that your core is currently.

"And Io: Initial examination!" She looks at you, expecting you to put the dots together... but you really don't get it. You shrug, but rather than get upset, Luca laughs again, and grips your hands tight with excitement.

"Fuhoho! Do you understand what we're looking at here? This is core alteration on an unprecedented scale!"

You stare blankly, and Luca follows up.

"This isn't a Reaper core anymore, Nyx! **It's a Wisp core!**"

**\---END OF FIRST NIGHT---**

You are **Io Haborym**, and right now you are getting really ticked off.

Your hospital gown is itchy... the staff won't let you go unsupervised... and to make things worse, the bowl of oranges in front of you is taunting you with its tasty contents, but they remain just out of your grasp.

Literally.

You hear a stern voice speak out from behind you.

"Try it again."

"Yeah yeah..."

You reach for the bowl with your left hand, and a cold, clammy hand grabs it. You turn, and glare at your doctor.

Yorshk Voso stares back down at you with a passive gaze.

"Do it with the **other hand**."

You groan loudly.

"Can't I just eat one for like, morale or something first?!"

Yorshk places a hand to her chin, and deliberating it, before replying with a flat "No."

"Oh come on, I'm starving here!"

"I'll make a compromise: If you can grab just one orange and place it in my hand, I'll let you eat all of the rest, and we'll call it a night. Deal?"

You perk up at Yorshk's proposition, and you smirk back at her.

"Yeah, deal!"

She grabs the bowl, and slowly slides it forward until it's sitting right in front of your face.

"Well? What are you waiting for then?"

You put on your game face, then look down at your... hand.

Your hand is an off-putting shade of gray now, while your fingertips are so dark that it looks like the complete absence of color. You hear the doctors refer to as "Ventiblack" or whatever, you don't really care.

What you do care about, is feeding your face. You try to flex your fingers, and you succeed in making a fist. You hear your knuckles pop and you wince.

You can't feel anything, so it's hard to tell just how much pressure you're applying without directly looking at something.

You take a deep breath, and reach for an orange.

How do you attempt to grab them?

[] Close your eyes, and hope for the best!

**[X] Try to close your hand in small increments until you get it.**

[] Clench it, and drop it in her hand before your strength pulverizes it!

[] Give up, and go to sleep for the night. You've been at this all day... and you're tired.

[] Write in.

Brute forcing this won't work, you'll need to take it slow if you want to get your snack on.

You raise your arm over the bowl, and your hand hangs limp in the air.

"Don't cheat. Keep tension in your hand the entire time."

You concentrate, and wiggle your fingers just a bit until you manage to form a cup shape. You lower your hand until your palm is resting on the biggest orange in the bowl.

"Now, grab it, keep your palm facing downward, and place it in my hand."

You slowly start to close your hand. The tips of your fingers are twitching wildly. You hear Yorshk's voice next to you urging you on.

"Concentrate, Haborym. You're nearly there."

You pour all of your focus into your hand, and close it just a bit more.

.

..

...

Got it! You slowly lift it up, and move your hand until it rests on top of Yorshk's, and you let it go. You lean back in your chair, and breathe deeply.

Oranges really shouldn't be such hard work. You look back towards Yorshk, and see that she's already peeled your prize and popping a slice into her mouth.

"Hey! That's mine!"

She turns to you with a smug grin that makes you want to smack her.

"I said that you could have the rest. This one is mine."

You grab another orange from the bowl with your good hand, and bite right into it, staring daggers at her as you chew. She finishes first, and reaches under the table. She places a small jar filled with a sea green paste on the table, and places a small wooden depressor next to it.

"Alright, we'll try this solution today. Hands forward."

You place your hands in front of you, and Yorshk uncaps the jar, and places a dollop on the end of the depressor. She starts by slathering some of the concoction over the knuckles of your good hand. It immediately starts to feel like you have pins and needles running through it.

"Feel anything?"

"Yeah, it's super tingly."

You watch as she repeats the process on your other hand. She looks up at you expectantly.

"Anything?"

[] Lie, and say you felt something.

**[X] Be honest, and tell her that you didn't feel anything.**

You shake your head, and Yorshk frowns.

"...We'll leave it on for a little while, and see if it's just a delayed reaction."

"...Okay."

She reaches out to pat your shoulder, but you instinctively back away. She may be your doctor, but she's far from your favorite person.

You can't just gloss over who she is, and what she's done.

She sighs, and leans back into her seat. The two of you say nothing as you wait for the solution to set in.

You hear a cellphone ring, and Yorshk quickly reaches into her coat pocket, and silences the ringer. She looks at the caller ID for several seconds, then back to you.

"I need to take this."

She gets up, and stalks around the corner of your hospital room.

You take a look towards the bathroom, and debate washing the goop off of your hands. It hasn't worked yet, and none of the other ones that she tries every day seem to do anything either...

You quickly banish those negative thoughts away, and choose to do something else instead.

You walk towards your bed, reach under your pillow, and look through your cellphone. You decide to send Becky a quick text.

**> Hey! Thinkin about you. You find a new gym buddy yet?**

You send the text, and put your phone away. Becky's definitely asleep at this hour, but she'll be happy to wake up to that.

...You really miss her.

"Ow!"

You wince as you feel a cold stabbing pain in your chest. It passes after a moment, and you do your best to ignore the creeping dread at the back of your mind.

Around the corner, you hear Yorshk raising her voice. Whoever she's talking to is really getting it.

You're kind of curious about who could get under her skin that bad, but you'd rather keep your distance from her where you can help it.

What will you do?

[] Wash up, and go to sleep. It's been a long day of rehab, and you've got many more to go...

**[X] Eavesdrop. Take a listen, it's not like you have anything else to keep you busy.**

[] Wait for Yorshk to return, and finish your session. Stick to your daily routine. Again.

You slowly creep around the corner, and you see Yorshk hunched over her phone. She's trying her best to keep her voice low, but the conversation seems to be a point of contention for Yorshk, as her voice keeps rising.

You lean in, and strain your ears to listen.

_"I don't care what proof you claim to have, I am not going to test anything on her... No this is not the same. What...? Are you listening to yourself? That's reprehensible, and you're disgusting for even suggesting it. Ven won't involve them just to satisfy your curiosity, and neither will I. Oh, I'm the hypocrite?! You're the one still engaging in the same backdoor dealings that put you where you are now! ...Well at least I actually have my doctorate!"_

Yorshk hangs up the phone and slams it against the wall. You move back to your chair, and try your best to look innocent. Yorshk looks at you, and shakes her head.

"You can cut the act. I already know you were listening."

You awkwardly rub the back of your head, then yelp when you realize that you still have some goop on your hands. Yorshk wordlessly hands you a damp towel, and you do your best to wipe everything off.

"Get some rest. We have an early start tomorrow."

She turns toward the door to leave, and you call out to her.

"Aren't you gonna say something about that call?"

Yorshk turns back towards you and raises an eyebrow.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that you don't really care about what I have to say."

You shrug your shoulders a little. She's got you there.

"That's what I thought." Her voice takes on a slightly sarcastic tone as she continues. "I didn't think you'd want to hear about how your Reaper friend is doing anyway."

You stand up so fast that your chair tips over and falls to the ground. Your excitement is getting the better of you, and you can feel the temperature of the room start to rise a little bit.

"Nyx is okay?! Where is she?! What's she been doing?!"

You try to ask more questions, but Yorshk mashes a hand against your lips.

"_Quiet down!_ I don't have all of the details, but I'm going to look into it tomorrow. In the meantime, go to bed."

She removes her hand...

"But wha-mph!"

and places it right back when she sees your mouth start to move again.

"Listen Io... I understand that she's important to you, but right now, I need you to focus on yourself. Tomorrow, I'll know more for certain, and we can talk then. Alright?"

You raise your damaged hand, and shakily manage to raise a single finger. You lock eyes with her until she gives you what you want.

"Fine. One question, and then you go to bed."

She lets you go, and you make one request.

"...If you see her... can you give her my room number so she can visit?"

Yorshk laughs, and folds her arms against her shoulders confidently.

"Rest assured, if I see her, I'm not letting her out of my sight!"

**\---START OF SECOND DAY---**

You are **Nyx Ronove**, and for the first time in a long time, things are finally looking up.

If Luca's observations are to be believed, then your core has somehow undergone a transformation that erased all aspects of your reaper self.

..Although that still doesn't explain why you still have a scythe bound to your soul, or why you still feel that empty hole gnawing at your chest when you concentrate hard enough.

You're not overly concerned with it for the moment. You survived the night, and right now, that’s enough for you.

Physically, however, you are feeling much, much, stronger. And while it's nowhere near the amount of strength you had while pacted to Eve, it's more than enough to put you on equal footing against another pacted Mog.

True to her word, Luca stayed with you the entire night, stepping out once to make a phone call. Afterwards, she monitored your vitals while you slept then retired to the bathroom for a quick nap once you woke up. She mentioned that you were "free to go" under the stipulation that you **check back in with her at the end of the night**.

Your short-term money situation has more or less solved itself, as you were able to convince Luca to part with the money that you need in order to finish paying the taxes on your house. You'll need to stop by a Smallmart to send out a money order before the end of next week... though you should probably get it out of the way as soon as possible. You don't know when you'll have this kind of money again.

You still haven't heard back from Eve... though it might be that she's been busy. You recall Ven mentioning the possibility of Eve having a second job. You could always stop by Sunwich and check in... although that would most likely mean having to see Liang and Klein as well.

You should have no problems securing a job with Nile now, though you'll have to **check back in tomorrow if you still want to commit to the specimen collector job**. You keep that in the back of your mind for now.

You could also find a part-time job as well if you want. There's still several other listings that you haven't looked into.

You're still in dire need of furniture. Annnd a front door. The last thing you want is someone stealing those tapes...

Which is another issue you should address. You still need to find a VHS player... although you have no idea where to start on that. You can always look for that later, but you're still eager to know what your Eve left for you on those tapes.

.

..

...

It just occurred to you that you haven't visited her in quite some time. You should buy some flowers and stop by the Froxeter graveyard when you can.

You decide to put on the rest of your clothes, and go downstairs.

The cool morning air greets you, and you take a deep breath and stretch your arms.

Then your text notification goes off, and you quickly check your inbox. It appears that you have a text message from Ven.

**> Good morning! I checked today's paper, but I didn't see any listings that I thought you would find useful, but I did want to let you know about something one of my neighbors is doing. It seems like Big Sean is working with a Qilin I know in Cirruwa to try and start a fitness class. Maybe that's something you might be interested in?**

You put your phone away, slightly disappointed that it wasn't Eve, but still appreciative of Ven's thoughtfulness.

You have enough time to commit to **three activities before you need to check in with Luca**.

**What will you do first?**

**[X] Go to the nearest Smallmart and send off that money... Maybe see if they have a furniture catalog.**

[] Fitness Classes - Head to Cirruwa Forest and see what Big Sean and Ives are up to.

[] Cashier - See if Ann still has any openings left.

[] TV Extra - You never know, you just might make it big!

[] Visit June in Solburg. You've been putting off this apology for a while now.

[] Visit Eve's grave. It's been too long.

[] Go to the Sunwich Shoppe. See if you can't get a hold of Eve.

[] Inquire about the Gym buddy ad. You're feeling stronger, but you could use an actual workout.

You run a hand along the yuan bills in your pocket. It's definitely not a good idea to walk around with this kind of money in hand. The chances of getting robbed again aren't very high, but you don't want to take that chance. There's a Smallmart just down the street, so now would be a perfect time to take care of your bill.

As you walk over to the convenience store, you see a familiar (but not necessarily friendly) face leaving through the sliding doors. Mickayla walks past you and continues down the street, carrying four grocery bags stacked on top of each other. You notice that one of her bootlaces has come undone, but before you can bring this to her attention her other heel catches on it, and she trips.

"Ack!"

She slams into the pavement face first, and you wince sympathetically. There's no way that didn't hurt. You run inside the store and ask the clerk for several paper towels, but the best that she can spare is a bunch of Smallmart branded napkins. As you hurry back outside, you create a small chunk of ice and wrap it in layers of napkins. You kneel down next to Mick, and gently shake her by the shoulders.

"A-Are you okay?"

She moans, and slowly pushes herself onto her knees. Her face doesn't seem to be swollen anywhere, but there's a small amount of blood on her face... at least, you think it's blood. The tar-black liquid leaking from her nose doesn't look like any form of body fluid you've ever seen before. She notices you staring, and looks away sheepishly.

"I'm fine, but can you grab my stuff for me while I get up?"

You nod, and start setting her bags upright. By the time you've gotten all of her groceries back in order, Mick is back on her feet and checking the contents for any missing items.

...You also can't help but notice that all of the 'blood' is completely gone from her face. Your makeshift icepack is nowhere to be found either...

"Thanks. Okay... looks like everything's here."

She re-stacks the bags and then hefts them up in her arms. You're honestly a bit curious about what the deal is with all of that food, but you don't feel comfortable asking; you two aren't exactly on the best of terms. You decide that you've helped enough, and continue past her and into the store.

You pay 30,100 yuan for a money order, and another 200 for express postage and shipping, leaving you with a total of **17,800** yuan left. You ask the clerk if they offer any furniture or catalogues... but unfortunately, they do not. Despite hitting a major milestone in your progress, you still leave the store feeling somewhat disappointed.

As you continue down the street, you're surprised to see Mick waiting for you next to the manhole.

"Hey... do you think you could give me a hand real quick? I need a little help getting this stuff down there."

You look at the manhole, then back at Mick. Even with the two of you, this will likely be a hassle, but shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes to get done. It may also present you with the opportunity to ask Mick about her side of the story from two months ago. As much as it hurts, you'd really like to know just how your scarf ended up the way that it did. You could also just help her for the sake of it. You remember how you felt when Ven helped you out... maybe you should pay that forward starting here?

What will you do?

**[X] Agree to help, then ask her about the incident once you've finished.**

[] Agree to help, and request nothing in return afterwards.

[] Decline, and go about your next order of business (pick another choice from the last bunch)

You decide to help Mickayla with her groceries. Once everything is said and done, you'll see if she's willing to talk about everything that happened.

"S-S-Sure, I don't m-mind."

Mick gives you a grateful smile, and places her bags down by the manhole before lowering herself halfway in.

"Just pass them to me one at a time, and I'll bring them down."

You give her the first bag, and she climbs down the ladder using just one hand to hold onto the rung. Once she reaches the bottom, she sets the bag down and climbs back up to the top.

"Next one please!" You repeat the process with Mick two more times, but as you hand off the last bag of groceries, the bottom rips open, and dozens of canned goods go spilling out into the sewers.

"Dang it!" She cries. "I told the lady to double-bag that one!"

"S-S-Sorry about that."

"Naaaaw, it wasn't your fault."

Mick spends a few more seconds sulking, then looks back to you. She doesn't appear to be in the best of moods right now, but you don't know if or when you'll see her again, so you decide to ask her about the incident while you still can.

"Hey... C-C-Can we talk a-a-about what happened?"

A look of uncertainty passes over her face, and she seems to deliberate with herself for a moment before she answers you.

"...I really shouldn't, but... ahhh screw it. Are you hungry? I was gonna go straight home, but I can't carry that many loose cans by myself. I'll ask Ven to whip us up some breakfast, and we can talk there. There was some... stuff I wanted to ask you about anyway."

You're about to ask her how she knows Ven, but then you realize that the answer is fairly obvious: Anyone that frequents the sewer pathways is bound to cross paths with her at some point. You nod your head, and Mick starts climbing back down.

"You coming?"

You follow her down the manhole. You reach the bottom, and see that Mick has already managed to pick up her spilled goods, and is carrying them against her chest. You have to hand it to her, she's pretty fast.

"I'm gonna run this over to Ven real quick, can you get the other bags?"

She walks around the corner without waiting for an answer, leaving you to your task. You carefully arrange the three bags and brace them against your chest... This is a lot harder than it looks, and you have no idea how Mick makes it seem so easy.

Before you can take a step, you hear Mick call out in a surprised, and slightly nervous tone.

"Oh! Uh... hey! Wasn't expecting to see you here!"

The voice that follows sends a chill up your spine. You recognize it all too well.

"How many times have I told you not to travel aboveground without letting one of us know?"

Yorshk Voso's voice echoes down the hall, stern, and clearly irritated.

"She's right, you know... I don't mind you going out for food, but you have to be more mindful, you aren't the only one down here we're responsible for."

You hear Ven's voice chime in, and you feel immensely confused... How does she know Yorshk of all people?

"I'm sorry, I just went to Otecho to-"

"We'll discuss your indiscretion later." Yorshk interjects. "...Wait. Otecho? That may actually be of some use. Tell me, have you seen Nyx recently? It's extremely important that I speak with her as soon as possible."

You quietly place the bags on the ground, and creep back towards the ladder.

"I didn't realize you two knew each other. Actually, she's right around the corner with my groceries!"

You hear the tell-tale sound of heels clacking rapidly against the ground and you freeze.

You don't entertain the idea of being able to take Yorshk on by yourself. Her skillset and latent abilities as a Kunekune make her an extremely dangerous adversary. You aren't sure what she wants with you, but you doubt it's anything good.

On the other hand, judging from the conversation, it sounds like she and Ven are familiar with one another, which means that attempting to run now might make future travel through the sewers more difficult. You don't know whether or not she'll give away your whereabouts in the future. More importantly, it's safe to assume that if you run, Yorshk will likely continue to stalk your movements until she finds you.

What will you do?

[] Stand your ground, and ambush her once she turns the corner.

**[X] Come out willingly, and see what she wants.**

[] Turn invisible, and wait for her to pass.

[] Make a run for Sunwich, and get Eve.


	7. Arc 2: Part 4

For a moment, you consider running for the Sunwich manhole, but you quickly decide against it. You've brought more than enough problems to Eve's doorstep, and even though you know that she would help you without a second thought, you still want to avoid relying on her every time you run into trouble. You don't know what Yorshk wants, but you aren't going to involve anyone else if you can help it.

"S-Stay right there! I'll c-c-come to you!"

You hear the footsteps come to a stop just around the corner.

"...Very well, I'll wait for you right here then."

Another second passes, and Yorshk steps into view. You're more than a little surprised by just how different she looks since the last time you saw her.

Her white heels and cherry-red stockings have been replaced with black pumps and a pair of form fitting charcoal slacks. The Officer's uniform that you'd come to associate with her is also gone, and in its place is a black turtleneck worn underneath an open lab coat not dissimilar to the one that Luca owns. The lack of bright colors against her ghastly skin makes her appear far less intimidating than what you remember, but the change that stands out the most to you is the uncomfortable looking electronic shackle around her neck.

While you aren't exactly sure of what Yorshk is doing in Outset, you get the feeling that she's probably not here of her own free will.

"...Are you done staring?"

She taps her foot on the ground impatiently, and you quickly walk forward to meet her in the main chamber. You notice the outline of bags starting to form under her eyes, but think better of saying anything about it. She looks you up and down much in the same way you did, and nods.

"Hmph. I was honestly expecting you to either run away or try to rush me down. I appreciate the show of restraint on your behalf."

"What d-do you w-w-want from me?"

Yorshk snaps her fingers, and you feel something brush past your leg. You look down and gasp as a long ropy tendril drags the bags of groceries you left behind and deposits them in her waiting arms.

"Come along."

You feel something cold and clammy shove you from behind, and you don't dare turn around to find out what it is. You walk with Yorshk into Ven's shop. There's no one here, but a passageway is open on the leftmost wall. Yorshk sets the bags on the counter, then crosses her arms as she turns her attention back towards you.

"I'll try to keep this brief: I've reached a wall of sorts in my work, and you may have something that can help. I need you to come with me to Harbei for an examination."

"Examination?!"

You notice a small name tag pinned to her coat with the words "Dr. Ose" printed on it. You recall the ad for a Doctor's assistant from the other day, and you're pretty sure that was the same name listed. You have a great deal of trouble wrapping your head around the idea of Yorshk being a doctor in any capacity, and you're more than a little suspicious. She seems to pick up on your trepidation, and glares at you.

"Are you going to come willingly, or do I have to drag you there?"

"See, this is why you always have trouble dealing with people. You won't get Nyx to agree to anything if all you do is make demands of her."

You see Ven appear from the passageway and take a spot behind the counter. Yorshk snorts out a small 'hmph', but doesn't say anything otherwise. You really don't want to go anywhere with her if you can help it, so you attempt to change the subject.

"H-H-How do you two k-know each other?"

Ven opens her mouth to answer, but Yorshk gives her a pointed look.

"Are you done trying to buy yourself time?"

"N-No. You h-haven't given me any g-g-good reason to c-c-come with you at all."

Yorshk and Ven share a look between each other that you can't quite decipher. Yorshk sighs with exasperation, and Ven's lips tilt upwards into a small smile.

"Mickayla said that you wanted to know about what happened two months ago, right? How about a trade then? You go with Yorshk, and in exchange, she'll answer any questions that you might have about what happened two months ago, won't you Yorshk?"

"...Fine. But if she says anything to anyone, I'm holding you responsible."

"That's perfectly fine by me." Ven's smile grows wider, and then she turns to you.

"Does this sound fair to you?"

You shake your head.

"Tell me w-w-why you need me f-first."

Ven's smile disappears, and Yorshk's face grows solemn.

"I have... a patient in my care, who's health is quickly deteriorating. Sh-... they originally came to me for a minor case of frostbite, but their condition worsened practically overnight. The human doctors I've consulted with say that it's nerve damage... but I feel like it's a symptom of something worse. This patient's core is outputting more energy than they can sustain, and they've needed to eat more and more with each day that passes. It's only a matter of time before the strain becomes too much. I came looking for you because you're the... closest in natural affinity to this Mog. I want to run some tests, and see if I can't learn anything that might be able to help. You'd be helping me save a life."

You're surprised by Yorshk's forthrightness about her situation, but you aren't certain if she's telling you the whole truth. Still, you decide to agree with her terms for multiple reasons. Aside from getting some answers, you're still a bit out of sorts about what happened last night, and it may be a good idea to get a second opinion on your health. There's also the possibility that you might be able to find out more about Io's whereabouts while you're in Harbei.

"Alright. I'll g-go with you."

Yorshk nods, and walks out of the shop without another word. You look to Ven, who gives you a sympathetic smile.

"You probably shouldn't keep her waiting. Go on, I'll be here when you come back."

You leave the shop, and head towards the Harbei manhole. Yorshk is waiting for you by the ladder.

"We'll walk and talk." She declares. "You might have time to waste, but I don't. Ask your questions."

What will you ask Yorshk? (Choose three.)

[] What are you doing in Outset?

**[X] How do you, Ven, and Mick know each other?**

**[X] What happened two months ago?**

**[X] Since when are you a Doctor?**

[] What's with the shackle around your neck?

[] What are you plotting?

Yorshk begins climbing up the ladder, and you follow a few feet behind her. You're understandably annoyed with her short attitude, and you can't help but mutter under your breath.

"Tch. S-S-Since when are you a Doctor?"

Your grumblings come out a louder than you'd hoped, and Yorshk glances down at you for a moment before shaking her head and resuming her climb.

"Since before you were born. Graduated at the top of my class, I got my start in alchemy and herbal medicine, but I didn't start branching out until a few years before the war began."

"J-Just how old are you a-a-a-a-anyway?"

"Excuse me?!"

"I'm s-s-serious."

She doesn't say anything until the two of you reach the surface. She takes a breath of air, and makes a sweeping gesture towards the town around you.

"Old enough to remember a time when this town was still just a tiny Yowie settlement."

"...Oh."

It's not quite the answer you were hoping for, but it's one that makes you wonder just how much she's seen in her time. The two of you cross the street on the way to the hospital, and you strain yourself thinking of how to approach a given subject without setting her off.

"I didn't know that M-M-Mog Doctors were n-n-needed here."

Yorshk stops again, but doesn't bother turning around to face you. You get the feeling that you're really starting to annoy her.

"...I'm going to assume that your gross ignorance comes from the fact that you're a non-corporeal Mogwai by nature."

You have no idea what that means.

"A w-what?"

"...Because you're a Wisp."

"Oh."

"Just like how humans have their ailments and injuries that need specialized care, Mogwai have their own as well. We may be magical in nature, but there are some things that a healing spell and brownie bites can't fix. You're a perfect example: A Wisp undergoing a transformation into a Reaper."

You scowl at that comparison.

"That d-didn't happen to me b-b-because I didn't take c-care of myself, that happened to m-m-me because I w-w-w-was locked away, and l-l-left to r-r-r-r-rot for years!"

You feel yourself starting to get **angry**... but you somehow manage to calm yourself down. You notice that you feel a lot more in control of yourself lately. You focus back on Yorshk, who is looking back at you with a frown on her lips.

"I apologize, I shouldn't have said that. You went through something terrible. I didn't mean to trivialize it."

You suck your teeth.

"Don't s-say sorry if you d-d-don't mean it."

Yorshk flinches, and a look of guilt flashes over her face. It's gone just as quick, and the two of you resume your pace.

"One thing I don't g-g-get is w-w-why any Outset h-h-hospital would t-t-take you aboard. You're a war crimi-"

Yorshk cuts you off.

"You don't get to call me that. I don't regret my choices... but you are right about one thing: Yorshk Voso could never find work here."

You think back to the nametag you saw earlier.

"But D-D-Doctor Ose can?"

Yorshk nods.

"Doctor Fleur Ose to be precise. A pseudonym can get you rather far, especially when all of the proper paperwork is in order ahead of time."

"What's a pseudonym?"

Yorshk sighs.

"A fake name, Nyx. Do I need to use nothing but small words around you?"

"S-Shut up."

Yorshk laughs, then sighs just as fast.

"Hm. It's funny, isn't it? I spent my years fighting against humans, and now I tend to their broken bones and common colds. The irony is almost poetic."

"I t-t-thought you were a M-M-Mogwai doctor."

"In the strictest sense. I'm a Mogwai, as well as a Doctor. I can choose my staff, but I can't choose my patients. Very few people in Outset have my qualifications, so I wind up taking on the entire Mogwai caseload by myself... On top of my human caseload."

"T-T-That doesn't sound very f-fair. Why do it?"

Yorshk plucks a finger against the device around her neck and the hollow inside reverberates with a clang.

"Because I don't have much of a choice. Apparently, Harbei Hospital wanted to get into Mogwai medicine for some time, but there was no one available that could lay the foundation out for such a plan. When she found out about my plans for the throne, the Queen was originally just going to throw me in the deepest dungeon that she could find. Instead, she decided that the most fitting punishment for me would be to offer my talents to humans as a goodwill token to the people of Outset. She offloads a potential upstart, and gets to be seen as a kind ruler attempting to bridge the gap between our people after years of tension. Ha!"

A bitter laugh escapes from Yorshk's mouth. A moment passes, and her face darkens into a monstrous scowl.

"That dotard has far more heinous crimes to answer for than I ever will..."

You're immensely curious about what she means by this, but decide against prying right now. You have your own grievances against the Queen, and a part of you wonders what Yorshk's motivations were. However, you don't think that she would appreciate you asking about this right now.

You decide to switch topics.

"So h-h-how do you th-th-three know each other?"

Her face grows thoughtful, as if thinking about how to best answer you. You can already tell that she's going to omit as much as possible...

"I first became acquainted with Ven when we worked together with several others on various... projects for the Queen shortly after her Conjurer died in the war. Some of us kept in correspondence after the Den lockdown out of a mutual interest."

"W-W-What is mutual i-interest supposed t-to mean?"

"Have a seat with me for a moment, and I'll tell you."

As you near the hospital, you see a newly installed bench by the main gate. Yorshk takes a seat, and beckons you over. You hesitate, and she roll her eyes.

"I'm not going to eat you if you get close. Sit down Nyx. I'm still on my lunch break for two more minutes, and if I go back inside now, they'll put me right back to work."

You watch her warily for another couple of seconds before taking a seat next to her. She crosses her legs, and places a hand to her chin as she regards you with a smirk.

"There. Was that really so difficult?"

"Y-You have no idea."

Yorshk laughs again, then looks around the immediate area. When she's certain that no one is around to listen, she speaks.

"There's a lot of ground to cover, so please try to pay attention. You're aware of how the sewer paths connect most of Piecewood, right? Haven't you ever considered it strange that despite being on an entirely different continent, Snowver has an entrance as well?"

You shrug at first, but when you think about it more, it does seem a little off.

"Huh..."

"I'll give you a moment to piece it together."

You think about the implications in your head. You think you understand, but the idea alone seems far too outlandish. You decide to put it forward anyway.

"It d-d-doesn't make sense for j-just one shortcut to b-b-be there... Unless there w-w-were more, but..."

"No buts, you're absolutely right. The pathways that you're familiar with are only a small part of an entire network that connects all of Solum together through the underground. Piecewood, Creasewater, Ohmanaha... there's even one that leads all the way into the deep Den."

"W-What?!"

You reel at the implications. You doubt that the humans of Outset would be pleased to know about this, and you say as much.

"There's n-no way that human l-l-leaders would be okay with this..."

"Of course not. A Mog-made network that connects the Den to the entire world might very well be considered an act of aggression by humans, and could potentially start another Mogwai war."

Yorshk leans in close to your face, and you fight the urge to move away.

**"Which is why you aren't going to breathe a word of this to a single soul."**

You grimace, and scoot away as far as you can from her.

"G-G-G-Got it..."

"Good. Now, as I was saying... the sewer paths were originally intended to be used as escape tunnels, but Shep saw it as a means of establishing a way of moving supplies from one place to another with ease. She pitched the idea to us, and we worked in secret to make it happen."

You were already aware of Shep's involvement in making the sewer shortcuts, but it doesn't surprise you that there were more moving parts involved behind the scenes. Tanuki aren't known for being forward with all of the details; though this raises an entirely different set of questions that you aren't sure you'll ever get answers to, most notably, how the two are familiar with one another.

You take the moment to fish for a reaction, and see if you're at least right about one thing.

"I bet that's how y-y-you managed to s-s-set up your invasion without anyone n-noticing, wasn't it?"

Yorshk sneers, but you mockingly sneer right back. She throws up her arms, then lets them fall back down against her legs. She can't say anything against you, and she knows it. In the meantime, you file this information away. You strongly doubt that Shep knew what Yorshk was planning ahead of time, but you still want to ask her about it all the same.

"Do you want me to explain this, or not?"

You smirk and enjoy the brief moment of catching Yorshk off-guard.

"Please, do c-c-c-continue."

"...Right. So, Shep's magic may have laid out the original groundwork, but it has been through the combined efforts of both her, and several other contributors that have enabled the paths to exist in its current state. You've already met three of us, including myself. It's best that the others remain anonymous."

You count using the fingers on your hand.

"So you, S-Shep, and Ven? What about M-Mickayla? What d-does she have to do with a-a-anything?"

Yorshk grits her teeth, and growls out an answer.

**"I was getting to that."**

You decide to stay quiet. She's clearly fed up with your interruptions.

"She's one of the reasons why we work so hard to keep everything hidden away from prying eyes. In the deepest parts of the sewers is a town where we offer displaced or persecuted Mogwai a means to get back on their feet, and a permanent residence for those that can't live anywhere else."

You aren't sure which one surprises you more; the existence of a hidden Mogwai town in the sewers, or that Yorshk is a part of something this altruistic. It doesn't mesh up with your image of her whatsoever.

You open your mouth to say something, but Yorshk raises a finger in warning, and you quickly shut it again. Once she's sure that you aren't going to say anything, she continues on.

"Mimics are some of the few groups of Mogs down there capable of blending in on the surface, so a lot of them take jobs to help keep everyone fed, but it's still very dangerous. They're often exploited for their abilities... and abductions are a very common occurrence."

You raise your hand. Surprisingly, Yorshk nods, and lets you ask a question without complaint.

"I've only e-e-ever seen a Mimic once b-b-b-before in my life. What m-m-makes them so special that p-people would come after t-t-t-them? There's p-p-plenty of Mogs that can d-d-disguise t-themselves."

Yorshk gazes at you with a concerned face. It unsettles you more than anything else she's done thus far.

"...If you don't know Nyx, then I'm not going to tell you. Otherwise, you might end up trying to do something that you'll regret later. It isn't worth knowing. Take my word on this."

The look on her face is almost enough to convince you that it's true. She sighs, and leans her head back against the bench. As Yorshk speaks, she stares up blankly at the building behind her.

"Two months ago, Mickayla went missing shortly after I helped her find delivery work with my old employer. One of their... members of staff got too greedy for her own good, and threatened her into submission. They partnered up with five Tanuki and a few others who were able to figure out how to manipulate the sewer layout, then split their time between petty crimes, and trying to gain access to the lower levels. That was around the time you became involved."

"What w-were they hoping to find?"

"...More Mimics."

You watch Yorshk's chest rise and fall as she takes several deep breaths. It doesn't appear to be from stress or anything of the sort, and you assume that's she's probably very tired.

"One of your Conjurer's friends tried to start a stakeout around the Piecewood manholes, but it wasn't very successful. They were expecting someone to leave, when what they were looking for was already inside. Your friend went back into the sewers with Mickayla to stop the intruders. I don't see a need to go over the exact specifics, but she held off seven Mogwai by herself until Ven and I could... personally intervene in the issue. It's no exaggeration when I say that she potentially saved dozens of lives from a very cruel fate."

You reach into your jacket pocket, and run your thumb along the remains of your scarf. You're still heartbroken about it, but if the stakes were as high as Yorshk made them out to be, then you can accept this outcome a bit easier. You still intend to make Io tell you the whole story the next time you see her.

You can't help but grin as you imagine Io swinging her sword around and fighting seven Mogs at once. Yeah... That definitely sounds like something she would do.

...You're actually quite surprised by just how much you miss her company.

Yorshk stands back up, and motions for you to do the same. The two of you walk through the hospital doors.

"I've answered your questions, so it's time for you to fulfill your end of the bargain. We'll go to the cafeteria first. I want you to eat before I run my examination."

You follow behind Yorshk as she makes a beeline for the empty elevator. She presses the button to the top floor. The doors close, and you watch the floor numbers tick upwards as you wait. Once you've past the fourth floor, Yorshk starts talking again.

"The Mogwai wing is more like a rooftop house sectioned away from the rest of the wards. There's no humans permitted beyond this point without my permission, so as a result, I'm responsible for overseeing and maintaining the grounds and equipment personally."

"You really h-hate humans, don't you?" Your question isn't hostile, and Yorshk seems to pick up on this. Her answer is simple, but it speaks volumes.

"More than you'll ever know."

You think better of asking why. There's a clear line being drawn, and you are not about to cross it.

You change the subject as fast as you can.

"You t-t-take care of everything by, y-y-yourself, huh? That's sound l-l-lonely."

Yorshk hums amusedly as if you just told a funny joke.

"Quite the opposite actually. Like I said before, I still get to choose my personal staff. Plus, having the roof to myself means that I can do as I please with the space."

The elevator dings, and Yorshk smiles gently as the door opens-

"I haven't had any complaints from the patients yet."

-and reveals the most beautiful sight you've seen in years.

The entire rooftop has been converted into a garden with flora of all colors, shapes, and sizes, growing healthily in every direction that you look. Several large stone slabs dot the area, forming literal walls of vegetation. In the center of the garden is a large multi-sectioned dome building with several large doors on the sides. You think you see a couple of Mogs inside, but you're too far to tell. You take your first step out of the elevator, and your foot sinks a little. Apparently, the grass is real too, if the soil beneath your sneakers is any indicator. The air quality is entirely different compared to the city streets, and it feels like you've been transported to another world.

"This is amazing..."

"I'm glad you approve."

There isn't a trace of sarcasm in Yorshk's voice, only pride and genuine appreciation. She walks a few paces ahead of you, and points a finger towards the dome.

"The cafeteria is on the far end, so we'll cut right through."

You have plenty of questions about how all of this came to be, but you opt for silence as you soak it in. You follow Yorshk inside the building, and are greeted by a whirlwind of activity. The inside is much larger than you expected, and you see a hall with doors on each side that branch out into multiple paths at the center. You walk past an open door, and see two Kappa in lab coats talking to a rather upset looking Isonade laying on an examination table as she clutches her caudal fin.

Once you reach the center area with Yorshk, you see a familiar Jackalope sitting behind what appears to be a reception area.

Quinn notices you and waves you over with a cheery smile. Yorshk sees the exchange, and diverts her path over towards the counter.

"Back right on time! How was your lunch, Doctor?"

Yorshk gives you a pointed look, then smiles back at Quinn.

"I didn't do much in the way of eating I'm afraid. I was actually hoping to admit our friend here, and then take her over to the cafeteria. Can you take down her information while I go check in on a couple of patients?"

"Sure thing!"

"Thank you, Miss Zaleos. I'll only be a moment Nyx, please don't cause her any trouble while I'm gone."

Yorshk turns, and walks down one of the many hallways before disappearing into one of the rooms. Your attention returns to Quinn, who is currently filling out a paperwork sheet for you.

"So, how are you doing? It's been quite a while since you and Eve last visited!"

You don't want to bring down the mood, so you decide to stretch the truth.

"Sorry about that. I've b-b-been really busy looking for work. I m-m-moved out not too long ago."

"Really? That's great to hear! Oh! Actually, can you give me your new address? I need to put something down in this spot."

You give Quinn the address to your new home.

"We actually get a lot of patients from the Sand Bar; I remember last week we had that poor Leviathan that got a trumpet stuck in his throat..."

She seems to visibly deflate as she thinks about it, and you decide to try to steer the conversation away from its current topic. Now that you think about it, since Quinn is acting as a receptionist, it would be a good idea to ask her if Io is in this hospital's care.

"Sorry to s-switch gears, but can I a-ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"I h-h-haven't seen Io in a f-f-f-few months now, and I'm kinda worried. D-Do you know if she was b-brought in at any point?"

The moment you mention Io's name to Quinn, her entire demeanor changes. She looks caught somewhere between sad and nervous. You actually feel really bad for making her feel like this. She swallows a lump in her throat, and nods.

"Come with me."

You follow Quinn down a hallway lined with metal doors, and stop at one with a small placard labeled 'Intensive Care Unit - I. Haborym'.

As you read the label, you think back to the reason why Yorshk called you here in the first place, and suddenly, it all makes sense. Io is the patient that she was talking about. She wants to see if your core can help fix hers, which means...

.

..

... You feel an immense amount of **guilt**. There's a very real possibility that you're the reason why she's here now. Before your thoughts have a chance to truly set in, Quinn gives you a gentle pat on the back.

"Before I let you in there, I have to ask you try not to say or do anything that'll upset her. The Doctor thinks it might make things worse. I'm only doing this because I know that what she really needs right now is to see you."

You turn to look at her, and she nods vigorously.

"I'm serious! She only ever gets to leave the grounds when her Conjurer comes to visit, but all she ever talks about in the meantime is you. It'll be a load off of her mind for to see you in person."

Quinn takes a small card key from out of her pocket, and waves it in front of the door. There's a small beep, and the door cracks open just an inch.

"Go on. And don't worry about the Doctor; I can deal with her."

She gives you a shove through the door, and closes it behind you. There's a handle on this side, so you can still leave at any time you want. The room itself is surprisingly spacious, complete with its own bathroom... though it also smells like orange peels for some reason. In front of you is a massive privacy curtain that has been completely drawn. You take a few steps forward and move the curtain away, revealing Io's sleeping form.

She's wearing an uncomfortable looking hospital gown, and her headband is missing, though it would likely do nothing to combat the massive amount of bed head that she has. Her left hand is wrapped in bandages that stop at the elbow, and her cheeks look a little thinner since the last time you saw her. Her breathing is strong and steady, and that alone does a lot to put your mind at ease.

What you want more than anything right now, is to wake her up and apologize, but you aren't sure if now would be appropriate for that. You could always try to keep the mood light instead, though if you're being honest, it would be really nice to talk to someone about what's happened in your life recently.

You look at Io's face, and notice her brow beginning to twitch. She's probably going to wake up very soon.

How will you approach this?

[] Apologetic - Tell her how sorry you are for injuring her arm. You need to get this off your chest.

[] Friendly/Evasive - Keep her company, but try to avoid talking about anything important. Her health comes first.

**[X] Heart to Heart – Keep her company, and talk about what the two of you have been up to. A bit of normalcy would do her some good.**

[] Leave – Go back outside, and wait for Yorshk at the reception area. You don't want to be responsible for making her condition worse.


	8. Arc 2: Part 5

You're too mentally exhausted to try and hide anything. All you want right now is to talk to your friend.

You pull up a chair next to Io's bed, and wait for her to wake up. A few seconds pass, and her eyes slowly open halfway. She sits up in her bed and lets out a loud yawn as she scratches herself. Despite being less than a foot away from her, she's completely oblivious to your presence. You feel a small smile forming, and decide to stay quiet; you want to see how long it takes for her to notice you. Once she finishes yawning, she flops back down on the bed and stares up blankly at the ceiling tiles.

Her eyes finally glance in your direction, and for a moment she stares, completely uncomprehending. She carefully extends her good hand until it touches your shoulder, and she gasps. She slowly sits back up, and moves her face closer to yours. The expression on Io's face is the softest one you've ever seen her make in all the time that you've known her. Her bottom lip is starting to tremble, and you can see her eyes becoming glassy.

"Nyx?"

You aren't really sure of what to say, and you settle on the first thing that comes to mind.

"...H-Hey."

Io lets out a sniffle, and then a full-blown sob before she pulls you in for the tightest one-armed hug you've ever experienced. Her head falls against your chest, and you can feel her tears soaking through your jacket as she quietly cries. You aren't sure when, but at some point, you placed a hand behind her head and pulled her closer. You rock back and forth until her sobs start to slow down, and then stop altogether.

"Sorry for m-making you worry."

Io pulls away from you, and you're heartened to see a bright smile on her tearstained face.

"I'm just glad that you're okay! I mean, you totally ghosted us, Nyx!"

Honestly, you're glad that she's able to fall easily enough into casual conversation despite the circumstances.

"...Can you b-blame me? I w-w-was a wreck."

"I don't care! Jerk move!" She puffs up her cheeks as she glares at you.

"I'm... really sorry, Io. I didn't k-know that I h-h-hurt you this bad..." You gesture at her arm, and she shrugs.

"Eh. It wasn't your fault... I mean, yeah... kinda... maybe?"

You feel your **guilt intensify exponentially**.

"But it's totally my fault too, I knew how much that scarf meant to you, but I couldn't-"

You cut her off.

"You're my f-f-f-friend, Io. You're more imp-p-portant to me than a scarf..."

Io blushes, and fixes you with a stare full of suspicion. If you're being honest, your words are just as surprising to you as they are to her. It's not a lie either; you have more than enough reminders of your Eve now, though that's beside the point in this case.

Io backs up a little as she continues to eye you warily.

"...Who are you, and what have you done with Nyx Ronove?"

You groan, and lightly smack her upside the head. She laughs for a moment, then looks at you thoughtfully.

"You know... that's the second time that you've called me your friend, you know."

You manage to hold a straight face, despite your growing embarrassment.

"S-S-So?"

"There's something different about you, Nyx. I dunno what it is, but I think it's good. What have you been up to?"

You decide to go for the most direct delivery.

"I d-died, I think..."

"Oh, that's- wait... _**WHAT?!**_"

Io screeches, and you flinch. You really hope that doesn't attract any attention from outside.

"W-W-Well, it's like this..."

You tell Io about how you wandered around for two months until you wound up in the Sand Bar. You tell her about the box of belongings that your Eve left to you, and about your new house. You tell her about the job hunt, along with your orientation tomorrow with Nile (although you don't tell her what it is that you'll be doing). You decide to omit Luca's role in your near-death experience, and settle on telling her that she's helping to keep you healthy. Not quite the truth, but not quite a lie either. True to your word, you keep your mouth shut about everything that Yorshk confided in you as well.

You finally get Io up to speed, and once you've finished, she makes a low whistle sound.

"Geez. I thought I was hardcore! You're like, so tough, that even death can't kill you!"

You open your mouth, then promptly close it... It's not worth it.

"Really though, it's great that you got your own place like we talked about!"

"Yeah, b-but I still need to g-g-get the place fixed u-u-up with some furniture."

"Well, you could always order stuff online you know. Only takes about a day for stuff to show up!"

You feel extremely annoyed with yourself for not thinking of this, and even more irritating is the fact that Io of all people came up with the solution in less than two seconds.

"...Thanks, t-t-t-that's a really good idea."

"Uh, yeah!"

The two of you are interrupted by the sound of Io's stomach rumbling. She looks down, and then back at you sheepishly.

"Hey, can you give me a hand with something?"

She reaches behind her, and pulls out a bag full of wrapped hard candies. She places it on the table, and takes out several pieces with her good hand.

"Just hold the other end of the wrapper for me, okay? Doctor Honkers wants me to open the ends on as many of these as I can."

You snort at Io's nickname for Yorshk, and take a piece of candy by the edges. You hold it out towards Io, and her face becomes a mask of concentration as she moves her other hand slowly towards the candy. Her hand makes several violent jerking motions before she seems to gain a bit of finer motor control. She manages to pinch the end of the wrapper, and carefully twist it open between her thumb and forefinger.

"Whooooo! First try! Yorshk is never gonna believe this!"

You narrow your eyes at the mention of her name, but say nothing. Io makes you hold another piece of candy, and manages to repeat the process with the same level of success. She looks immensely happy.

"Wow, you're like, my good luck charm or something! I still can't feel anything, but I dunno, it's just easier!"

You smile, and your mood becomes **contented**. Seeing Io has taken a great load off of your mind, doubly so now that you know she's in good spirits thanks to you.

As she sets up another candy, you decide to pick the next topic of conversation.

(Choose one.)

[] Ask Io how Beck is doing.

[] Ask Io how the others (Eve, June, etc.) are doing.

[] Ask Io how Yorshk and the rest of the staff are treating her.

[] Ask Io more about her arm, and how she's handling it.

[] Ask Io how she came to know Luca.

[] Say nothing, and let her concentrate on her task.

**[X] Write in. (Kiss)**

You decide to stay quiet and watch her work. After a couple of minutes, Io drops her hand onto the table.

"Phew. I think I'm done for now. Time to eat!" She grabs all of the open candies that she set aside, and shoves them all into her mouth at once. Her cheeks distend, and you can hear loud crunching as she chews the hard candy. You groan, and turn away.

"G-Geez, Io!"

She swallows the rest, and gives you an unapologetic shrug.

"What? I was hungry!"

Io's stomach growls again, and she reaches behind her bed and pulls out a small bag of oranges. You wonder to yourself who in their right mind would keep fruit behind a bed. It's extremely unsanitary. Io catches your judgmental stare, and shifts about uncomfortably.

"...I'm just feeling really tired, alright? The Doc said not to do too much unless we're working on something, so she lets me keep this stuff close."

Her eyes turn downcast, and you feel a little bad for wordlessly chastising her. It's easy to forget with her upbeat personality that she's in intensive care for a reason.

"Sorry."

"Yeahhhh, whatever mom!"

Io sticks her tongue out in your direction, and on impulse you plant a chaste kiss on her forehead and then ruffle her hair as you pull back. It's something that your parents used to do whenever they wanted to make you feel comfortable, and you don't really think twice about the gesture.

Io however, looks about as red as a tomato. Her mouth is agape, with eyes wide as dinnerplates.

The reality of what you just did sinks in.

You just kissed Io.

Your turn away from her so fast that your neck makes an audible snapping sound. You can feel the blood rushing to your face, and you stumble to find a reasonable excuse for your actions.

"Sorry! I-I-I just... M-My parents used to... and... I d-d-d-didn't m-m-m-mean to make this w-weird!"

"...No. It's fine. I'm not mad or anything." Io's tone has a contemplative quality to it that makes you very worried about where this conversation is headed.

You keep your face turned away for the next few minutes, far too embarrassed to say anything meaningful. Eventually, you hear the sound of chewing. You turn back around, and see Io smiling as she eats an entire orange whole. Once she's finished, she turns to you and playfully flutters her eyes.

She's never going to let you live this down.

"I'll s-s-smack you again if you don't s-s-stop."

She places her hands against her chest, and makes an exaggerated frown.

"Awwwww, but will you kiss it better?"

You bury your face in your hands as Io has a good hard laugh at your expense. Again.

You eventually feel a finger tap you on the back, and you lift your head. Io's looking at you with an odd expression.

"Hey lemme ask you something. Before you met Eve, did you ever like, have a crush on anyone?"

"What?"

"For real. Like, was she your first love? You never talk about yourself, and I've always been kinda curious..."

Io draws her knees up to her chest as she looks at you. The amount of leg on display is making you more than a little uncomfortable.

"...Wh-Where is this c-c-coming from?"

You finally figure out the best word to describe Io's face at the moment: inquisitive.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't wanna. If it makes you feel any better, I don't really like talking about old stuff much either; so we can could swap! You show me yours, I'll show you mine!"

You don't like that phrasing at all.

"I t-t-think I'm good, Io."

"Oh... Kay." You're surprised by just how much your refusal affects her. You see a melancholy expression take hold of her, and she stays curled up for quite some time.

You feel extremely awkward right now, but you have no conversation ideas that could potentially fix the situation.

The two of you sit together, and you steal a glance at her every now and then when she isn't looking. Io winds up being the first to speak.

"...I remember when I still lived in the Den... There was this one Wisp girl that I really liked. Super shy, and didn't really talk to anyone, but was always really nice to people. No one really paid me any mind, cause, y'know, 'dumb ol' Wisps; so I just kinda stayed in the background doing my thing. I never talked to her, so I didn't know what kinds of things she liked, but I really wanted to impress her."

Io chuckles to herself before continuing.

"So, I started trying to get strong enough to transform. Be like, 'hey. Check out my hot human bod!'"

You decide to throw her a lifeline.

"...D-Did it work?"

"Eh. It took me years, but I finally got strong enough to do it... but by the time I was ready to try and talk to her, she was already loooooong gone. Found a Conjurer, and started traveling."

She sighs wistfully, and you turn to face her completely. There's no smile anywhere on her face. The Io in front of you looks more depressed than you've ever seen her. For a moment, it feels as if you're looking at a mirror.

"I was never mad that she got to go do her thing, but I always regretted the fact that I never got my shot. I just wanted a chance to confess."

You're not used to hearing Io speak with such depth, and you're genuinely intrigued to know more.

"Well, if you saw her ag-g-gain, and h-had a chance to tell her, would you?"

"I dunno." Her response is surprisingly fast, and you can immediately tell she's lying. You try to give her a playful poke in the ribs to get a reaction, but she doesn't react to it, far too drawn up in her own thoughts. You know that form of hell all too intimately. You grab Io by the shoulder, and give her a forceful shake. She stares back at you with vulnerable violet eyes, and you give her a bit of encouragement.

"It's only m-me here. W-What would you say, Io?"

You can feel her trembling with nerves, though you have no idea why. You watch as she clears her throat.

"I... guess I'd probably start by saying: Hey! I really like you!" She makes an exaggerated motion with her good hand, and the two of you share a short laugh before she continues.

"Then she'd probably say something like: B-B-But why me?"

You're about to question why this person sounds a lot like you, but before you can say anything, Io takes your hand in hers and grips it fiercely. Her gaze is intense and unwavering, and you find yourself unable to look away.

"And I'd tell her: Because you make me feel like I could take the world on. You've lost out on so much, and you deserve to be happy... more than anyone else I know."

Her hand reaches up to caress your cheek. You don't push it away.

"I can't replace your first, but I won't ever stop trying my best to make you happy. Even if you don't like me back, it'll be worth it if I can see you smile again like that beautiful girl I fell for all those years ago."

You've long since realized that she's talking about you. You don't remember ever seeing her in your youth, but it's very clear that she does.

Her hand snakes around the back of your head, and you don't resist as she pulls your face closer to hers. You hear a voice in the back of your mind protesting. _**This is a betrayal of the highest order, and you should be ashamed for forgetting about her.**_ But as much as you love your Eve, you can't let yourself stay chained to the ghost of a memory. You want to move on, you truly do, but...

"All I want is a chance, Nyx."

You ignore the doubts in your head as you feel Io's lips gently brush against yours...

.

..

...

You hear the door slam, and the two of you jump apart as Yorshk walks into the room with a sheepish looking Quinn trailing behind her. To your surprise, she doesn't look upset in the slightest. You on the other hand, are a tangled mess of emotions.

"I was hoping to surprise the two of you with a reunion, but it looks like my receptionist had other plans."

"...Sorry, I kept her away for as long as I could!"

You turn to look at Io, but she has her back turned to everyone. You can't tell what she's thinking. You look back at Yorshk, and give her the meanest glare you can muster. In return, she looks back at you innocently.

"We'll start the examination in five minutes, I'll wait for you outside."

Oh, she knew. She absolutely knew what she was interrupting. This is likely payback for your earlier moments of sarcasm. The two of them leave the room, leaving you alone with Io once more.

...For all of the conflicting feelings that it gives you, there's no denying that there is an attraction. You can't ignore it any longer, and whatever you say to Io now will determine the nature of your relationship.

What will you choose?

[] Leave the room, and say nothing.

[] Apologize to Io for giving her the wrong impression. You can be friends, but you can't return her feelings.

**[X] Kiss Io, and tell her that you're willing to try a relationship.**

You take a deep breath, then walk over to sit on the bed next to Io. When she turns to look at you, her face is still flushed from a few moments ago.

"So... that just happened..." She says nervously. Her eyes look down towards the bed and stay glued there, refusing to meet your gaze.

"Y-Yeah..."

"Uh-huh..." She's fidgeting now, and it's obvious that she expects to hear a rejection from you.

"Hey Io, l-l-l-look at me p-please?"

She slowly moves her head upwards until she's facing you again, and you nervously take her hand in yours.

"You've b-b-been a good f-friend to me, Io. Better than I d-deserve. I'm a mess, and I r-r-r-really don't know why you'd w-want to b-bother with me-"

"Nyx, I-"

You move in for quick peck on the cheek, and render Io speechless.

"-but I think I'd l-l-like to give it a try."

The ear to ear grin that Io gives you brings one to your face as well, and you don't resist when she pulls you in for a deep kiss. The two of you stay with your lips connected for some time. You pull away, and watch Io laugh as she wipes away a few stray happy tears.

"So, hehe... I dunno really know what happens now. Didn't really plan ahead for this, you know?"

You get up, and place a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll j-j-just take it one d-day at a time. I g-g-g-gotta go, b-b-but I'll visit again real s-s-soon. I promise."

You turn to leave the room, still a little jittery from the adrenaline high of your kiss. Io calls out to you.

"Hey, Nyx?"

You turn around, and watch as Io struggles to say something.

"...See ya around?"

You know it's not what she wants to say, but the fact that she's restraining herself shows just how committed she is to making this work. You smile at her, and she smiles back.

"Yeah, s-see you around."

You turn and leave the room.

**\---Affinity MAXED with Io---**

(You can now opt to spend a single slot of free time that you have with Io at the hospital once a day to help keep yourself in good spirits. You may not necessarily trigger any events, but it will put you in a positive mood.)

Yorshk is outside the room, though Quinn is nowhere to be found. You assume that she's back at her desk. She points to an empty room on the other side of the hall, and walks in without waiting for you. You quickly catch up, and she shuts the door behind you.

"Alright. This should only take a few minutes. Sit on the table, and expose your core."

You hop onto the examination table like she asks, but you are extremely hesitant to let her anywhere near your core. You're fully aware of just how badly she could hurt you if you wanted. She notices your hesitance, and sighs deeply.

"A Reaper? Afraid of me? You're arguably just as dangerous as I am."

"Y-Y-You're asking me to p-p-put my life in your hands."

"...Even now, when I've made it perfectly clear that we aren't enemies, you still won't trust me?"

You narrow your eyes at her.

"You d-d-d-didn't tell me about Io b-being here."

"It was meant to be a surprise for her progress; that's the truth."

"What about the st-stuff we talked about on t-the way here? I know you didn't tell m-m-me everything."

Yorshk slams a hand on the table, and you jump.

"Because it is _**none of your damn business!**_ I only agreed to speak with you on it because it was the only way to get you to come with me willingly. Anything that I haven't told you is for your own sake, but you can believe me when I say that your friend is not going to be long for this world if you don't help me."

She jabs a finger at your chest with your last words, and you can see the barely restrained frustration on her face. She exhales, and with a shake of her head, does the last thing you ever expected from her.

Your breath hitches in shock as Yorshk expose her entire core to you. It's a dim purple covered in a black gunk. She clearly hasn't had it cleaned in quite some time.

Her emotions are hidden behind tightened lips, but you can tell that she feels uncomfortable showing this much of herself to you.

"Don't you dare pity me... Your turn."

...You reluctantly expose your core, and watch as Yorshk's expression changes into one of fascination. You see one of her tentacles sprout out from her hand.

"I apologize, but I need to take a tiny piece from you. Hold still."

You nod, and the tentacle darts forward, snapping off a small fragment of your core. You double over and scream from the pain, causing Yorshk to take several steps back.

"...You shouldn't have been able to feel anything from that."

The pain begins to subside, and Yorshk watches you with a grave expression.

"I need you to tell me exactly what happened last night. I already know you were with Stolas, so leave nothing out."

Once you feel well enough to talk, you tell her about the shooting pains in your chest that started after your breakdown two months ago, as well as everything leading up to your collapse at Luca's doorstep. She nods several times during your explanation, and when you finish, she runs a finger along the shard that she pulled from you.

"I have to confess, I didn't believe it at first, but there is no doubt in my mind that this is a Wisp core."

Her face is perplexed, so you aren't certain if this is good news or not. She looks at the shard in her hands, then turns it over to examine the other side. She squints her eyes at the shard, then places it on the table.

"I need to run some tests before I have any answers for you... but aside from that pain anomaly... you're perfectly healthy."

You feel a great sense of **relief** wash over you. Yorshk takes a piece of paper and scribbles something on it before brusquely handing it off to you. She turns her attention back to the shard and waves you off.

"This is my personal line. Day or night, call me if anything changes. I'll stop by your house personally as soon as I learn something... The other number on the bottom is the line to Io's room. You can visit as you please, so long as you notify me ahead of time. You're free to go; ask Miss Zaleos to show you out if you get lost."

You turn toward the door, but think better of it. Despite her off-putting personality, Yorshk has done nothing but help you this far. You shouldn't leave without trying to thank her.

"Hey, Y-Yor-"

"Doctor Ose." Yorshk chides. "Just 'Doctor' will do if that's too much for you to remember. What is it now?"

"I just wanted to s-say thanks... and sorry f-f-for not trusting you."

Yorshk looks up from her analysis to regard you with a piercing stare. After a moment, she snorts, and turns back to her work with a shrug.

"You're welcome. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

...You turn and leave without a second glance. You have no idea what goes on in that woman's head, and you really don't care to ever find out.

You wave goodbye to Quinn as you leave Harbei Hospital. She was nice enough to send you on your way with a delicious peanut and berry jam sandwich which you're currently finishing off as you walk down the street.

You consider your next choice for the day. You have enough time to make **one more stop** before you need to check in with Luca. You recall that you have an all-day obligation tomorrow at the Sand Bar Museum, and will be unable to do anything else unless you decide to cancel on Nile.

How will you spend the rest of your day?

[] Visit June in Solburg. You've been putting off this apology for a while now.

**[X] Visit Eve's grave. It's been too long.**

[] Go to the Sunwich Shoppe. See if you can get a hold of Eve.

[] Inquire about the Gym buddy ad. You're feeling stronger, but you could use an actual workout.

[] Take a walk to the Long Life Diner, and get a drink. You feel like celebrating.


	9. Arc 2: Part 6

You take a moment to collect your thoughts on the day. It certainly started off hectic enough, but ended on a very positive note. The idea of you being romantically involved with someone again still feels surreal to you... and also somehow perverse.

You understand how irrational that is, but you can't shake that feeling of wrongness that occurs when you think about being happy again without your Eve. You need to resolve these feelings, for Io's sake and yours.

You need to go see her. Even if it's only symbolic, you need to tell her that you're moving on.

You stop inside the Smallmart and purchase the nicest wreath that you can find. It sets you back about 750 yuan, bringing your total amount of funds to **17,050 yuan**.

You decide not to use the sewer path, and take the long road down to the gravesite in Froxeter Forest. The sky is a beautiful orange hue by the time you get close, and your mind feels at peace as you soak in the view.

You're only a short distance from the grave when you hear a voice talking just down the road.

"...and I'm doing the best that I can to make amends... I can only pray that your soul has found peace wherever you may be."

It's familiar, but you can't quite place it. You feel your chest get tight as you approach the grave, but once you're within eyeshot, the sight before you causes your arms to slacken in disbelief. The wreath you were carrying goes tumbling to the ground, completely forgotten. Eve Xin's grave has been immaculately cleaned, and a fresh stick of incense burns by its side.

Kneeling on both knees in front of the gravestone, hands clasped together in prayer, is none other than the Queen of the Den, Han Verrine.

.

..

...

There are no words to accurately describe what it is that you're feeling right now.

Seeing the person responsible for everything wrong in your life, making well wishes and presenting offerings to the woman whose life she also ruined as if that makes everything okay... it offends you to your very core in ways you didn't think were possible.

You feel something dark and wrathful deep inside you come up to the surface. The wreath crunches under the heel of your sneakers as you step over it. The sound alerts Han to your presence, and when she turns her head in your direction, she quickly picks herself up off the ground to face you. She's clearly as stunned as you are to see her here, but the surprise in her eyes quickly gives way to sorrow, and then resignation.

"It's... been quite some time, hasn't it, Nyx?"

You clench your knuckles so hard that several of your nails break the skin. These feelings inside you will not be denied.

How will you deal with Han?

[] With Hostility - She does not belong here.

[] With Indifference - Speak your peace to Eve, and then leave Han be as if she isn't even there.

**[X] With Temperance - Acknowledge her presence, but make it perfectly clear that you will have nothing to do with her outside of this fleeting moment.**

[] With Violence.

In the end, it isn't logic that keeps you from drawing your scythe, but rather, the thought of fighting on hallowed ground. People's loved ones are at rest here.

This is a place for mourning and remembrance, not violence.

You take a few steps back, and pick up the wreath before you address Han.

"N-N-Not long enough. Go ahead a-a-and finish, I'll come back when y-y-you're done."

"There's no need. I've said my piece. If anything, I may have spent more time here than I should have."

"...How long have y-you been out here?

Han's posture visibly relaxes; she was clearly anticipating a confrontation.

"I have a lot on my mind, and I was hoping to consult Ev-...the ambassador, but she wasn't at her home. I took a walk to clear my head and wound up here. Purely coincidence, I assure you." Han raises her hands defensively, and you feel a little out of sorts seeing her so flustered.

"I saw her name out here and... I felt like I should pay my respects properly. I came back with a couple of things, started cleaning, and before I realized it, the sun had already begun setting. I can imagine how off putting this must be for you... and I'm truly sorry if I've overstepped any boundaries."

You carefully step past her, and kneel down to place the wreath next to her offerings. You have to admit, she did an amazing job cleaning the grave. It looks far less worn than you remember.

"I t-t-think she'd appreciate anyone sp-p-pending this much time with her. Thanks for tidying up."

That's about as close to polite as you're willing to get.

Han quickly straightens herself out, and takes a knee next to you.

"...Your hands are bleeding."

You look down at your hands, and see several small rivulets of blood from where your fingernails pierced the skin just a few moments ago. They sting a little bit, but the pain is completely negligible.

"It's fine."

"Did you... want some time alone with her?"

You turn to fix Han with deadpan expression. You'd like to think that the answer is fairly obvious, and you have no idea why she hasn't already left.

"Yeah."

"R-right." Han stutters, then quickly removes herself from your personal space. She's still looking at you, except now she's biting her lip nervously from several feet away like she wants to ask you something. You are trying your hardest to stay calm, but you are quickly **losing your patience**.

"What is it, Han?" You don't bother hiding the irritation in your voice. Han shakes her head, and her face falls back to the same sorrowful countenance that she held minutes ago.

"Nyx, I know this is a private moment, but would you mind answering a question for me? I'm at a loss for what to do... and I could use some advice."

You strongly reconsider the pros and cons of punching Han in the face. You aren't even sure if she's consciously aware of just how selfish she's being right now. You run a hand down your face and groan. Loudly.

Your composure is beginning to unravel.

"I d-d-d-don't think I'm the best p-person to ask right now."

"Actually, on this issue, I'd value your opinion more than anyone else's."

It's clear that Han won't take a direct 'no' for an answer. She's likely not used to being denied by anyone.

"C-C-C-Can you give me t-t-t-two minutes? Alone? **P-P-Please**."

Han shakes her head again.

"I'll only take a moment of your time, then you neve-."

.

..

...

**You've reached your limit.** You tune out the rest of Han's statement, and focus on the first half. The irony of her words sets off a spark inside of you which kills any thoughts of continuing this farce.

You lunge forward with a scream, and Han's eyes go wide with surprise as the tackle connects. The two of you tumble onto the dirt beneath you, and she stares back up at you in curiosity rather than actual fear. Your hands grip both sides of her head, and you struggle against yourself to get the words out.

"You took _t-t-t-t-t-t-two hundred years of m-my life from m-m-me! _And n-now you can't w-wait another two m-m-m-minutes for a _**stupid question?!!**_"

Han looks away from you, deeply ashamed. It doesn't make you feel any better, and you decide that punching her likely won't either. You let go, and climb off of her.

"Just go... b-b-before I do something w-w-we'll both regret."

Before you can get far, Han grabs you by your pant leg, and you nearly trip. You look down, and see her kowtowing in front of you.

"Please. Tell me how I can make this right by you... by everyone I've wronged. I need to know, Nyx... I can't deal with this feeling anymore."

You can only assume that she's talking about her guilt; you can hear it in her cracking voice.

Her face is pressed against the ground as she grovels. Inwardly, you're taken aback by the significance of the gesture; A Queen is the last person one would expect to beg for forgiveness, but has she truly done anything to deserve it?

In your eyes, she's beyond forgiveness, but it would be needlessly cruel to dismiss her when she desperately needs to talk to someone.

Still... you don't know if you can continue to put aside your enmity to accommodate her, it’s taking all that you have right now to keep from flying into a fit of rage.

What will you tell her?

[] Silver Lining – You may not forgive her, but others might. Suggest that she look for other Mogs that she may have driven out of the Den with her actions, and make amends personally.

[] The Truth – Tell Han just how much you detest her. As far as you're concerned, she deserves no sympathy.

[] Lend an Ear – Forgo your plans to spend time at Eve's grave, and try to sort out Han's troubles in earnest.

**[X] Write in. (Tell her to get up and quit disgracing herself any further. It's a fine sight the first minute, then it becomes disgusting to see a godlike queen squirming in dirt. Seems like she won't go away, so it's better to Lend an Ear, but she will be judged both by you and the spirit of your past conjurer. For privacy - you can always come back to see Xin later - she has all the time in the world.)**

You shake your head at the sight before you. The sleeves of Han's hanfu are mussed with dirt, and her hands tremble as they cling to your leg. The anger you once felt is replaced by pity... and disgust. You glance back towards the headstone apologetically, and make your decision.

You'll just have to talk to Eve some other time. You’d never be able to talk to her with a clear conscience if you left things the way they are now.

You shake Han off, and she looks up at you with pleading eyes. You suck your teeth in response, and extend an arm to help her up.

"Get up." You say with no small amount of contempt.

Han stares at your hand, but doesn't move.

"If what's bothering you is s-s-so bad that y-y-you're lit-t-terally crawling up to me, then I'll hear you out."

You wiggle your fingers in front of Han's face until she takes your hand. You lift her back onto her feet, and she quickly begins to look herself over as best as she can. Tears and snot are mixed in with the dirt on her face. You turn around, and give her some time to fix herself up. A flash of light illuminates the area, and when you turn again, Han looks completely pristine.

Right... Soul clothes. You've spent so many years alone in this form, that you'd completely forgotten about that aspect of yourself. Before you can contemplate this any further, Han walks up to you and clears her throat.

"...I'm sorry you had to see that."

You wave her off.

"You s-s-said you wanted to talk... so talk."

Han turns her eyes back towards the ground with a sigh.

"...I had a long talk with Caesar some time ago; and we decided that it would be best if he left my service. It's taken some time to readjust to taking care of Den affairs on my own, and I'm still having a hard time of it. Every day, people come to me with their problems and suggestions, and half of the time, I don't even know how to reply. The older generation is leery of ending the lockdown after so long, and no one wants to leave. The ambassador and I tried to address the issue with festivities. We invited some popular musicians to perform, but the turnout was... disastrous to say the least. And then there's the issue with the exiles..."

Han moves back towards Eve's gravestone, and kneels back down. You follow behind her and do the same. The stick of incense that she lit has completely burned away. She reaches into her sleeve and produces another stick before holding it to her lips and blowing slightly. The top ignites, and she silently offers it to you. You accept it without complaint, and place it by the gravestone. The two of you watch it burn in silence for a few minutes until Han speaks again.

"I found where most of the older Manticores settled down after I cast them out. Most of the Wisps too. I apologized, and asked them to come back to the Den."

"W-What did they say?"

Han snorts derisively.

"The Manticores politely declined while the Wisps had more than a few choice words for me; nothing that I care to repeat. More than anything, I just want things to go back to how they were before all of this. I wanted to ask the ambassa-"

You turn to face Han and cut her off.

"You can s-say her name, you know..."

Han looks offended by your actions, but tries her best to hide the fact. You can still tell though; her posture is much more rigid than it was a moment ago.

"...I wanted to ask Eve what her thoughts were... but here we are. I had hoped that coming forward about everything would help settle things, but I only feel even more isolated than before. Nyx, I want you to be honest with me. Is there any coming back from this? Is there any way I can make them forgive me?"

You shake your head at her wording. Even now, at her most genuine, she still doesn't understand the problem. You take a moment to think on her question, until you find a suitable reply. It's harsh, but that's probably what she needs right now.

"Would you f-forgive Long?"

Han's face recoils as if struck, and her face contorts into an intense frown.

"_Excuse me?_"

"Your late husband. If h-h-he were here r-right now and said, ‘I'm s-s-sorry for w-w-what I did, p-please forgive me!’, would you?"

You nearly jump out of your skin when you hear a guttural snarl escape her throat.

"_**Never.**_ Not in this life or the next."

When your nerves settle back down, you reply.

"...That feeling in your c-c-c-c-core right now? That's how I f-f-felt when you asked me that a m-minute ago. I'm not going to forgive you, and I doubt that a-a-anyone else will either. And really, c-c-can you blame them?"

Han flinches at your words, and your voice starts to rise. Your own **frustrations** with her are starting to boil over into the conversation.

"After what y-you d-d-did, you can't expect instant forg-g-givness j-j-just because you apologized! You ruined a lot of p-p-people's lives for some v-v-very petty reasons... and then lied a-about it! T-Talk is cheap, what h-have you done to show p-p-people that you're actually sorry?"

"It's not that simple!" Han cries. "If you were in my-"

"No! That's your p-p-p-problem Han, you k-k-keep trying to make this about y-y-you! If y-y-you can't forgive Long, wh-what right do you have to ask someone to d-do the same?"

Han gets up, and starts walking away at a brisk pace.

"This is a waste of time."

Against your better judgement, you get up and follow her. Even if you have no real interest in helping her, seeing the Queen acting like a child throwing a tantrum does not sit well with you.

"D-D-Don't walk away from me, I'm n-not done talking!"

"Well I am." Her tone is low, threatening, and leaves room for no argument.

You continue undaunted, and grab her roughly by the shoulder. She whirls around and lifts you up by the front of your shirt. The glare that she fixes you would give a lesser Mog pause, but you are far past the point of caring. You stare back at her, unafraid, and deeply disappointed.

"What are you g-gonna do, b-b-beat me up? _T-T-Throw me in prison? Have me as-s-s-sassinated?_"

You move your head forward as far as you can manage.

"**...Steal my body?**"

Your words cut deep, and Han drops you to the ground, but you catch yourself before you tumble over. She looks stunned, as if she has trouble believing her actions just now. She isn't even aware of the tears streaming down her face again.

You don't think that anything you say will truly leave a lasting effect, but you make one last attempt.

"Han, is this h-h-how you want t-t-to be remembered?! Because that's what's g-going to happen if th-th-things don't change!"

She's looking off at a far point in the distance, and you can't tell whether or not she's listening.

"You want my opinion? I think y-y-you're wasting your time. Instead of f-f-focusing on what you've done, focus on w-w-what you can c-change going f-f-forward. You s-s-sent Yorshk to work at the h-h-hospital, didn't you? Do more outr-r-reach! You say you're alone, b-but you have K-Kon, don't you? Go b-be a mother to h-h-her! And what about R-Rex?"

You raise your voice in exasperation.

“Do something, _a-a-a-a-anything_ other than what you're doing right now!"

You turn around and begin to leave the graveyard.

You hear her call out weakly.

"What should I do?"

"You're the Q-Q-Queen, start acting l-l-like it!"

You look behind you one last time, Han is staring up at the sky now.

"And if you c-c-can't do that... t-then you need to s-step down."

You leave the graveyard feeling **emotionally drained**. Han doesn't follow you out.

You wish you hadn't come at all.

It's nightfall by the time you reach Luca's apartment, and when you knock on the door, she opens it within seconds. You say nothing, and head towards the bathroom.

.

..

...

"...Did something happen?" Luca asks from her perch on the toilet seat. She's prepping a small syringe and a set of blood vials. Her usual grin is absent from her face. "You haven't said a word since you've been here."

You aren't sure what you should say to Luca, but it seems like she's curious, though you can't tell if it's friendly or scientific curiosity.

Yorshk did mention that she knew you came here last night, but you aren't sure if you want to tell Luca that you received an examination from her earlier; You don't know the nature of their relationship.

You could also talk to Luca about your encounter with Han earlier. You're still more than a little wound up at the moment, and you could stand to vent; assuming that she'll willingly listen.

You also consider asking Luca if she knows anything about Mimics as a means of small talk. It's not pertinent to anything at the moment, but Yorshk was extremely cagey about telling you anything about them, which only makes you more curious about why anyone would want to kidnap one.

...You could also just tune out Luca, and rest while she takes your vitals. Your run in with Han has left your mood in a pretty bad state, and you could use a bit of time to detox before you go to sleep.

What will you do?

[] Ask Luca how she knows Yorshk.

[] Avoid a heavy conversation, and ask her about Mimics.

[] Tell Luca about Han.

**[X] Rest your eyes/Switch characters - (Restore your mood, and switch your point of view for one turn until morning. Belle)**

You feel your body start to get heavy as you sit on the edge of the tub. You don't think you have the energy to walk home, let alone engage in any conversation tonight.

"I don't want to t-talk about it."

You start to close your eyes, but Luca lightly slaps you on the cheek. Your eyes snap back open, and you frown. Luca stares back at you from behind her glasses, but you can't tell what she's thinking.

"If you're too tired to stay awake, I'll just take a sample in the morning. You can take the guest bed in the other room."

Luca gets up without any fanfare, and leaves you alone in the bathroom. You're grateful that she didn't push the issue, though you hope she doesn't try to pry in the morning. The atmosphere in the house is far more relaxed than the last time you came here, and when you exit the bathroom, you see Luca waiting by the door with a paper cup filled with a yellow tinted liquid that she holds up to you.

"Here. Chamomile tea with a pinch of melatonin. It's good for calming the nerves."

You're surprised that she would even drink something like this. You hold the cup to your nose, and take a quick sniff. You don't smell anything suspicious, so you take a small sip. It's a strong blend, and the warmth seeps into your bones.

"Thanks."

Luca hums, and gives you a wry grin.

"Think nothing of the gesture, it's to my benefit after all. The sooner you turn in, the sooner I get to watch you sleep!"

You pause in mid-sip to glare at Luca over the top of the mug. She laughs and pushes her glasses farther up her nose. You know she's joking (hopefully), but you really don't find her morbid sense of humor funny in the slightest. She eventually realizes that her joke didn't go over well, and coughs awkwardly.

You finish your tea, and hand the cup off to her. She was right, you do feel a lot calmer after drinking it. She swallows the cup whole, and you grimace.

"_...Really?_"

Luca shrugs.

"Well I wasn't going to let it go to waste. Are you feeling any better?"

You move towards the pullout bed that Luca prepared for you, and lie down. You don't bother taking off your sneakers since your feet are hanging over the edge.

"Y-Yeah... I'm surprised that you e-even care."

"It might come as a surprise to you, but I take the well-being of all my patients personally."

You turn your head to face Luca. Her glasses are in her hands, and her expression is deadly serious.

"Get some rest. I'll check in on you in the morning."

She turns away and heads back towards the bathroom.

"Hey, Luca." You call out for her just before she closes the door.

"Yes?"

The question on your mind is invasive, but after the events of today, it's one that you don't feel too bad asking.

"About your other p-patients, the ones that... didn't make it... you ever th-th-think about them?"

Luca softly closes the door. That was probably too sensitive of a subject. You'll have to apologize in the morning before you leave.

You close your eyes, and sleep takes you.

**\---END OF SECOND DAY---**

(Several Hours Earlier...)

You are **Belle Reed**, and this has been a very productive day for you.

You're nearly finished making several last-minute tweaks on the commission job in front of you. According to your tester, the weight feels imbalanced towards the top of the shaft, so you've grafted an additional piece of steel towards the base of the prototype to help offset this.

You place your welder down, and remove the helmet from your head.

"Alrighty then, give it a whirl now, Rain!"

"Got it. Move back."

You take a step back, and watch as Rain effortlessly lifts the scythe up from your work table and gives it a few test swings. You have no idea how she makes it look so easy. She takes several different stances, as if testing to see what might work best with the weapon. After a few minutes of practicing, she turns to you with a nod.

"Much better; this should work just fine."

She places the scythe back on the bench, and you rush over and grab her hand for a hearty handshake.

"Thanks a bunch! I really appreciate ya comin' out here on such short notice! I'll have your share of the money for you as soon as I collect."

Rain squirms a little from your touch, but nods all the same. She's nice at her core, but you think she might be a little too serious for her own good.

"It's no problem at all. Was there anything else that you needed?"

You hear a pained yell from outside.

"_Why is this so hard?! It's just a vegetable in the ground!_"

You giggle at the sound of the new farmhand struggling to harvest some of the crops outside.

"No, but would you and Kon like to stay for dinner? I need to update these schematics and run em' over to the buyer out in the Sand Bar. You stick around, and you'll get paid tonight when I come back. Besides, I think the new hire could use some company!"

Rain smiles, and the two of you share a laugh.

"I'd be happy to stay. By the way... how is she doing? I only heard about what happened yesterday."

You shake your head.

"None of that, I ain't a gossiper. If you wanna know, you'll hafta ask her yourself."

Your stomach growls, and you quickly realize just how hungry you are. You've been working on this project since this morning. One of the owners of the Sand Bar Museum called you (how that woman got your number is beyond you though...) and offered to pay you a rather large sum of money in exchange for refining a weapon schematic.

As gifted as you are with your hands, you don't really have any experience with handling weapons, so you called up the only person you know that does, and asked for advice. Rather than perform an oral consultation, Rain went the extra mile for you, and came to Bowfort personally to oversee and correct any potential issues.

The two of you had been so busy working, that'd you'd completely forgotten to eat.

"Are you sure that you want to leave right away?" Rain asks. “You've been working far harder than I have; you should at least eat before you go."

Before you can reply, the front door opens, and the newest farmhand walks in hefting a large burlaps sack behind her.

Eve Staccato looks extremely worse for the wear, dressed in dirty coveralls and a large straw hat, she collapses onto one of the chairs and groans.

"I did it..." She huffs and wheezes. "I picked all of the carrots like you asked..."

You walk over to the bag, and take a look inside. You can feel your blood pressure start to spike.

"Eve, sweetheart... these here weren't ready to be harvested. You didn't pick from all of the patches... did you?"

She turns to you like an animal caught in the headlights of a car.

"Uhhhhhh..."

You get up, and look out the window and towards the fields. The soil has been completely upturned, and all the patches are in horrendous shape. You're probably looking at close to **70,000** yuan in ruined crops. There's no way the farm can bounce back from this without taking a big financial loss.

You let out a loud curse that would make your pa give you a very stern talking to if he were here right now. Eve sees your reaction, and sinks deeper into the chair. She looks like she's about to cry.

"I messed up again... didn't I?"

You sigh.

"No easy way to break it to you Eve, this doesn't look good... I'm gonna step out for a spell, okay? You... you just stay here with Rain till I get back."

You leave the house before anyone has a chance to say anything. You're very upset, and you're torn between consoling her, and telling her that she's fired (your heart goes out to the girl's situation, but there's no way around it; she's done nothing but cause your family headaches since she started). You're deeply grateful that this commission came in; if they wind up happy with the work, that's a **300,000** yuan paycheck in your pocket, minus Rain's consultation fee.

It's important, now more than ever that you close this deal. You should probably get to the Sand Bar with the updated schematics before it gets too late in the day to travel.

Still, Pike would probably scold you for trying to do too much at once. Maybe you should sit down with everyone for dinner first, and then leave?

What will you do?

**[X] Grab Pike, Kon, and the others from the barn and get started on dinner. You'll go to the museum after you eat.**

[] Sit aside with Eve, and try to make her feel a little better. She's not a good farmhand, but she's still your friend.

[] Go straight to the Sand Bar Museum with Pike, Kon, or Rain, (Specify one) and deliver the updated scythe schematics. You can't afford to lose out on this job now.


	10. Arc 2: Part 7

You take a quick walk towards the barn. It's definitely a better idea to eat with everyone first before traveling. As you near the barn doors, you hear the sounds of a scuffle followed by a sharp yelp. You roll your eyes, and walk inside.

The inside of the barn is a slightly bigger mess than usual, with trinkets, and several sea charts scattered all over the floor. Kon Verrine lies prone on the floor in front of you, pinned down by an absolutely furious looking Wake Forneus. Her arm is wrapped around Kon's neck in a choke hold, and each flex that she makes with her elbow causes the latter's eyes to bulge uncomfortably.

Skip watches from on top of a large bale of hay, cackling as her wife proceeds to choke the life out of Kon.

"I don't care if yer the Queen's kid, **ye don't talk to my woman like that!**"

Kon's voice escapes her throat like a wet piece of crumpled up paper.

"I didn't know she was your wife, I swear!"

"Oh, but why stop now?" Skip instigates. "You were saying such nice things about my eyes!"

Wake's scowl intensifies, and she tightens her grip, causing Kon to slap her hand against the floor as hard as she can.

"Mercy! Mercy!"

You should probably break this up.

"Alright now, dinnertime!" You point a finger towards Skip, and speak in as loud and authoritative of a voice as you can manage. "Skip, get off that hay, wash your hand and go set the table, and I better not see any bites missing from these bales, I ain't forget what you did last week!"

As Skipe grins sheepishly and slides off the hay, you point your finger towards Wake and Kon.

"Wake... let that poor girl go before she lays an egg in my barn; She don't know any better. You can put the chicken breast in the oven once you wash up. And Kon?" You shake your head. "Don't hit on married Mogs, it's not good for your health. You go sit with Rain and Eve, and stay out of trouble."

"Aye-Aye!"

"Yes ma'am..."

Wake releases her hold, and Kon quickly flips herself onto her back to take several large gasps of air.

"Belle, Ye mind if we bring Loch to the table? I don't want to leave her unsupervised."

"Not at all, but you two gotta share your portions with her!"

Wake smiles, and walks over towards a small crib at the back of the barn. She bends over, and makes several funny faces before lifting out a tiny mass of tentacles out of the crib and into her arms. As she walks back out, the baby Mog looks at you with excited eyes, and you smile and wave as the two of them leave the barn. Your turn your attention back to Kon, who managed to pick herself up off the floor as Wake left. She looks a little disheveled, but otherwise fine.

"Oh, my saviour! You came at just the right time!"

You can already feel wind-up, but you have absolutely no interest in this pitch.

"I don't know how I'll ever repay you, maybe we can talk about it over a cup-"

You place a hand against Kon's mouth, and she looks back at you with wide eyes.

"You really wanna make it up to me?"

Kon nods vigorously.

"Good, you can go fetch Pike from the lighthouse for me!"

You let go, and walk out before she has a chance to respond. Normally, you aren't bothered by Kon's poor attempts at flirting, but you aren't exactly in the best of moods right now.

You head back to the house, and open the door. You were half expecting to see something else go wrong, but everyone seems to be getting on just fine. The table's been set, Loch is already in the high-chair, and you can smell the chicken in the oven. You see Eve and Rain chopping up vegetables and washing the rice.

You immediately rush over to stop them.

"Hey now, none of that! You two are guests in the house, and guests don't do chores!"

Rain and Eve share a glace at each other. Eve nods, and Rain moves away from the cutting board. She grabs you by the shoulders, and steers you back towards the dinner table.

"You've been working hard all day. Rest; we'll take care of dinner."

She pushes you down into the seat next to Loch's, and goes back to her spot in the kitchen. Eve looks at you over her shoulder, and flashes you a grin. You notice that while her eyes are red, she seems to be in much better spirits. You can only assume that she and Rain had a talk while you were out. You turn towards Loch, and she bleats happily at you.

"Aaaaaaaa-aa!"

You pat her lightly on the head and smile, unable to stay too upset.

"You said it sister."

.

..

...

Pike and Kon are the last ones to arrive, and they're soon tasked with preparing plates for everyone. The chicken cutlets and vegetables are paired with a Snowverian sauce that Rain was kind enough to bring with her, and the rice is seasoned by Eve with an unusual choice of herbs and spices from the rack that you never would have thought to combine. The overall result makes for a flavor that is both sweet and spicy all at once.

Wake tears into the meal with gusto, while Skip takes small measured bites thought. You know it's an act, but one she only breaks when she knows that no one is watching.

Surprisingly, Rain is the first at the table to start up a conversation.

"This is nice." She says between bites. "It's been a long time since I've had a home-cooked meal like this."

"Ye should stop by more often then! Gotta keep ye belly full workin' on a farm! Good food like this is an everyday thing!" Wake is far more amicable now that she's eaten, and you're grateful that she seems to have forgotten about Kon's earlier transgression.

"I agree!" Skip chimes in. "It's usually just us and Pichael here, we don't usually get a full house!"

Pike sighs in the seat next to you, but says nothing. You give her a small pat on the back for being a good sport. Wake gives Rain an appraising look, then takes a sip from her glass.

"Awfully polite for a Mog hunter. What's the matter? Scared by me?"

An uneasy silence settles around the table. You open your mouth to speak, but you see Rain cast her eyes in your direction with an imperceptible shake of her head. It seems she wants to address this head on.

"I used to be a hunter, but I'm working with Eve to change things."

"Change things, ye say? How so?"

"...I want to get rid of sport hunting."

"Heh. That's a nice thought." Wake takes another sip of water, and as she sets her glass down again, the grin on her face slowly turns into a neutral stare. Not unlike the kind of face a predator would make as it sizes up it's prey.

"But what're ye actually doin' to make it happen?"

"Wake, I don't th-"

"Don't be worried Belle, it's just friendly conversation over dinner, innat right, hunter?"

"My name is _Rain_." Her tone is polite, but you can hear the edge in her words, and there's no doubt in your mind that Wake can as well.

"And to answer your question, I've been organizing rallies. There are plenty other Snowverians like me who hate the practice, but never said anything. Nothing will change if everyone stays quiet, so I'm doing my part."

Wake hums in slight approval, but doesn't change her expression. Eve is watching the exchange with a hand behind her back in case she needs to summon her staff.

"Every good change starts with a good leader." Wake says sagely. "What makes ye so special that ye think people will rally to yer cause?"

"I'm only doing it because no one else will."

"...And what if they don't want to listen to what ye have to say?"

"Then I'll make them listen."

Wake's lips curl upwards into a sharp grin.

"Oh? A tiny lass like ye? Ya don't look that tough!"

You've been around Wake long enough to realize that this is her way of making a joke, but Rain takes the statement completely to heart. She scowls at Wake as she takes a bit of chicken.

"I can take you on." It's spoken with such conviction that Wake nearly does a double take.

Once she realizes that Rain is serious, she clutches her stomach and doubles over, slapping the table multiple times as she lets out a boisterous laugh.

"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, I like you. We're gonna get along just fine, Rain! Cheers!"

Wake lifts her glass up, and downs the rest of her water. Rain looks back to you, very confused about what just happened. You shrug, and take another piece of chicken. Before you take another bite, you remember something important.

"Oh, that's right! Eve?"

Eve looks up at you from her plate with cheeks stuffed full of food. You reach into your pocket, and pull out a cellphone before passing it across the table. Her eyes light up as if being reunited with a long-lost friend.

"Here ya go! I meant to give it back to you yesterday after you finished up for the day, but it completely slipped my mind; sorry about that!"

Eve says something that you think was a "thank you!", but you honestly can't tell.

"Wait, why would you take her cellphone?" Kon asks. You give Eve a meaningful look, but her face is already buried in her phone as she boots it on. You sigh good-naturedly, and answer Kon's question.

"Because our dear friend here is a little too easily distracted while she's on the job!"

"A little?" Wake groans. "I was practically workin' the whole field by myself last week! Every other moment was, _‘Oooh! Gotta take this, me gramps is callin'!_"

"Hey!"

You quickly bring a napkin to your face to hide your laughter at Wake's imitation; the rest of the table is not nearly as polite. Kon and Skip both chuckle, while Rain's smile grows a little wider.

Loch is simply laughing because she sees everyone else doing it.

"Yeah, yeah... You guys suck." Eve pouts.

"And you suck at farming!" Skip quips. The entire table stops what they're doing to stare at her.

"You couldn't hold your tongue for one night, could you Skip? Pike says with a shake of her head.

"...What? Was it too soon?"

Eve sets her phone down on the table, and looks at you nervously.

"So... about that. Be honest, you're gonna fire me after this, aren't you?"

You clench a hand around your fork as you think of how to best handle the situation.

Assuming that everything goes well tonight, you should be able to cover the damages with no problem, so in theory you could keep Eve on as a farmhand... but it's very clear that despite being a naturally athletic person, she's not very good at this kind of work. In fact, she's **outright terrible** at it.

There's also the issue of payment; she's been working with you for the last two weeks now, and today would have been her payout day. You already have **20,000 yuan** set aside for her, but you're strongly considering whether or not to take her earnings back to make up the difference for the damages she caused.

You know that her family is hurting financially, but you can only spread yourself thin for so long, and deep down, you know you wouldn't be doing her any favors by giving her ill-earned money.

What will you tell Eve?

[] Keep Eve on staff for another week, and give her the full payment.

[] Fire Eve, and give her the full payment.

**[X] Keep Eve on staff for another week, but withhold payment until you know for sure that you can pay for the damages.**

[] Fire Eve, but only give her twenty five percent of the agreed amount. Explain why in full detail.

You decide (against your better judgment) to keep Eve on your payroll for another week. You'll have to find something else for her to do, as you have no intention of letting her work the fields again after this.

As far as payment is concerned though...

"Eve, if I was thinkin' straight, I would've let you go last week. You've your head in the clouds ever since you started workin' here, and it shows in your work ethic..."

Eve looks away from you, very much ashamed. Good. You need to hammer home the seriousness of the matter.

"What you did today just put the entire farm in the red. Now I can tell pa that a stampede of wild horses came tearin' through here, and that'll be the end of it, but how do I know that it won't happen again?"

"Belle, I'm really sor-"

You raise a hand to interrupt her.

"Ah! Not finished yet! Now make no mistake Eve, you ain't workin' in these fields again after this... which is why I gotta find something else for you to do in the meantime."

Eve immediately perks up, and if you didn't know any better, you'd swear that you saw her pigtails twitch.

"For real?! Thanks Belle, You're the best! I promise I'll work even harder than before!"

You fight the urge to roll your eyes as you take another bite of chicken. She wasn't even working that hard to begin with. Eve continues to cheer, while the rest of the table has gone back to individual conversations. Pike and Skip are the only two at the table who look surprised at your decision, but it's one you'll stand by.

"Pike? Starting tomorrow, do you think you could show Eve how to handle the animals?"

"Buh!" Pike sputters in dismay, and Skip snickers.

"Looks like she's your problem now!"

Across the table, Wake chimes in.

"Been nice knowing ye, Pichael!"

Eve looks at Pike, and pumps a fist.

"Hey Pike? I know I haven't left a good impression, but I'll try my hardest to do whatever you show me!"

"Don't get too carried away, Eve." You say after you finish chewing another bite.

"There's still the issue of payment. I hope you won't hold it against me, but I'm gonna need to hold on to your money till I know for sure that I can cover today's... expenses. I hope you can understand."

Eve nods with smile, though you note that most of the pep she had just a moment ago has disappeared.

"Yeaaaah... That's fair. I really appreciate this Belle, I know you're doing a lot for me when you really don't have to."

You shake your head with a smile.

"I know you'd do the same for my family if I were in your shoes. I'll help you out for as long as I can, but for now, let's just enjoy the rest of this meal. I gotta get goin' soon anyway."

Eve picks up her phone, and you watch as she starts flipping through her menus. Suddenly, her eyes grow wide, and she nearly jumps out of her seat in shock. Her legs bump the table, startling Loch, who lets out a surprised bleat.

"Holy crap! Guys, it's Nyx! I got a message from Nyx! _**She's okay!**__ She's okay!_"

Eve repeats the phrase several more times until her voice starts to get shaky. She takes a deep breath to calm herself, and you can see her fingers tapping the screen at a furious pace. She eventually sets the phone back down, but eyes it as if expecting an immediate response.

"_I'm so glad she's okay..._"

Everyone around the table has entirely different reactions to the news: Wake nods to herself with a smile as if she expected nothing less, while Skip seems largely indifferent. Kon and Rain both look relieved, and Pike seems ready to jump out of her seat much like Eve was a moment ago.

"Has she told you where she's stayin'?" You ask.

"...Sort of?" Eve replies once she's able to calm herself down a little. "The message says she's staying somewhere in the Sand Bar."

You take notice at this. Rain seems to come to the same conclusions that you have, and gets up from the table.

"Belle and I were headed that way tonight to drop off something; maybe you should come with us?"

You're surprised to see Eve looking a little nervous as the prospect.

"I... I don't know if she's ready to see me just yet. I think I'm gonna wait till I hear back from her."

"Are you sure?" Pike asks.

You watch as Eve rubs her neck. You can't tell if she's aware of her actions or not.

"...Yeah, I'm sure."

You want to press her on the issue, but this is neither the time or the place. You push your plate towards the center of the table, and excuse yourself. Rain has been waiting patiently by the door, and you don't want to hold her up any longer than you have.

"Alright. Then. I'm gonna head on out with Rain. Pike, you're in charge while I'm gone. We'll be back in a couple of hours."

Pike looks a little hesitant to stay behind, but you subtly direct your eyes towards Eve, and she quickly catches on to why you really want her here. You don't think Eve would do anything rash, but you also aren't comfortable with leaving her alone when she's clearly going through a rough time.

It bothers you enough that she keeps trying to act like everything's alright when it really isn't, but it's not your place to pry. The best that you can do is try your best to keep her in good spirits.

"... Are you going to eat the rest of that?"

You're shaken from your thoughts by a hungry looking Skip as she greedily eyes your plate.

"...Go ahead. Just leave me some leftovers, alright?"

"Yar! Sure thing! We'll hold the fort down and keep our guests entertained! Tell me Eve, ye ever seen Kraken style wrestling?"

You're relieved to see Eve take an immediate interest in Wake's words.

"Whoa! You guys have your own school of wrestling?"

"If ye like, I can give ye a demonstration! Kon, me matey... why don't we step outside for a spell?"

"W-What?!"

You see Wake flash Kon a malicious looking grin. Looks like she hasn't forgotten what happened after all. Rain looks at you with concern, but you shake your head and quickly rush out the door with her in tow. Wake is fairly easygoing, but once she sets her mind to something, getting in her way is just asking for trouble.

"We'll be on our way now! See y'all!" You slam the door, and hurry Rain along before the fighting can start in earnest. You're sure that Pike'll break it up if things get too rowdy.

Hopefully. Best to just let things run their course and run damage control later.

"Shall we then?"

Rain looks at you with an irritated expression.

"I know Kon can be a handful, but I don't appreciate you leaving her behind like that."

"Trust me, that Kraken ain't someone you want setting their sights on you. She nearly broke my arm the first time we had an argument over wages. Don't worry, she won't rough up your girlfriend too much. I think."

Rain blushes furiously at your choice of words, and goes quiet. Kind of a disappointing reaction. It appears that she doesn't handle embarrassment very well. The two of you near the sewer entrance, and you head down first.

.

..

...

You exit the sewers and emerge in the Sand Bar. Rain has been silent the entire time, but as you continue down the path towards the museum, she finally decides to speak.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, what is it?"

Rain stops in her tracks, and you wait for her to gather her thoughts.

"About this commission, it can't be a coincidence."

You put a hand to your chin, and nod.

"Yeah, I was thinkin' about that earlier. Maybe we should ask the owner about it?"

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Think about it. What would a museum owner need with a weapon blueprint?"

You wince. Rain's logic is sound, but you've always been the inquisitive sort. Still, if you're going to do any snooping, you'll wait until she's out of the picture.

"You're right. Probably a good idea to get paid first, and ask questions later."

"Or ask none at all."

"You're no fun!"

"And you're not taking this seriously enough."

Rain's tone is cold, but you can tell that she's upset. You decide to let the issue go.

"Sorry, I know you've been puttin' up with me all day. How ‘bout we go get paid?"

She says nothing, but resumes her pace, albeit a little faster. She can probably tell that you're not convinced by her argument. You decide to stay silent for the remainder of the trip.

You finally reach the museum... but the front doors are locked.

"Are you kiddin' me?! I knew we should've left earlier!" You bite your lip to keep from swearing. You're several hundred yuan deep in the family swear jar as it is, and you'd rather not add to it anymore than you already have.

You look at where Rain is standing, and see a strange indentation in the ground. You hadn't noticed it before, but now that you see it, you're more than a little curious. You take a closer look, and notice a cluster of cables poking out underneath the sand. You dust them off, and see that one of them has been unplugged.

"What is this?" You wonder out loud. Rain grabs you by the shoulder, and hisses into your ear.

"Belle, I don't think we should be messing with any of this!"

"But look at it!" You exclaim. "This looks like an extension cable, but the width... what in the world is this thing powerin'?"

"I don't care! I've got a really bad feeling about this... I'll stay overnight, let's just come back in the morning, Belle..."

Despite Rain's protests, you plug the loose cable into the open socket. Much to your disappointment, nothing happens. Your friend on the other hand, looks like she's about to have a meltdown. She grabs you by the ear like a spoiled child, and starts to drag you along. You try to resist, but there's only so much that you can do against a Combat Conjurer.

"Hey, lemme g- ouch! Not so hard!"

"Are you always this bullheaded?! Merde! No wonder Pike always worries after you!"

As Rain continues to grumble on, you hear a high-pitched whine. A second passes, and Rain stops in her tracks. She doesn't let you go.

"You hear it too, huh?"

Before she can respond, the both of you are surrounded by a blinding light.

"Ah!"

"Wha?!"

You feel the air around you starts to get lighter, and the noise in your ears becomes a deafening sound like you've never heard before. You can't see Rain, or anything else for that matter.

You feel a strange sense of weightlessness before something pulls.

You feel like something is yanking you along faster than your mind can process; almost as if you're falling, but moving up instead of down. The sensations persist for what feels like an eternity until you reach your limit.

You fade into unconsciousness.

.

..

...

**(Death flags have been raised for Belle Reed, and Rain Sicilienne. Until told otherwise, these characters will remain in mortal danger.)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A word of fair warning. This is the part where the story starts to take a darker turn.


	11. Arc 2: Part 8

\---START OF THIRD DAY---

You are **Nyx Ronove**, and you just overslept!

It's nearly midday, and you were supposed to be at the museum first thing in the morning. You're already out the door, and running towards the sewers, and you make a mental note to buy Luca a Hei Cha tea to apologize for leaving without having your vitals taken. You feel healthy enough, so you aren't too worried about it.

You take a look at your phone to check the time, and realize that you have four new messages. Before you can check them, you stumble over a rock, but manage to catch yourself before you fall. It's really a bad idea to run and look at your phone at the same time...

You put your phone away for now, and climb the ladder down into the sewers.

.

..

...

You reach the Sand Bar, and make an immediate beeline for the museum. When you get into the building, the main hall is empty, but you see a small note by the desk with your name on it. You pick it up, and read its contents:

_Nyx,_

_We're running a little behind schedule on things, we were hoping to have something prepared for you, but our designer never showed up. We're putting something together for you personally, so come back around the afternoon. _

_~Nile_

You breathe a sigh of relief. It's almost the afternoon now, so you have a small amount of time to kill. You could take this time to address your messages, or you could go home, take a good look around, and figure out what kind of furniture you need, and order it. You've been putting this off, and the last thing you want is to come back and find things missing. You could always wait here for Nile and the others to come back. You should probably try to make a decent impression, it's your first day on the job after all.

What will you do?

[] Go home, and get your furniture issue sorted out.

**[X] Check your messages. Maybe Eve finally got back to you?**

[] Wait here for Nile, Ark, and Tate.

You decide to go outside and check your messages. You could wait indoors, but you feel slightly uncomfortable staying inside the museum by yourself. It's a little creepy when there's no one around.

In hindsight, you're really glad that you didn't take the overnight position.

You step back outside into the sunlight, and take a slow stroll around town as you check your messages.

The first text message is from a number you don't recognize:

Good morning; Ven mentioned someone looking to purchase a VHS player. I take it you're a fan of older **a e s t h e t i c s** as well? I'm on my way home from out of town, and I'll be throwing a party on my return **two days from now**; we can discuss details then. You can get the location of the event from Ven. The password is KEPLER.

...Huh.

You're a little surprised that Cache of all people is Ven's Conjurer, but you've seen stranger pairs in your day. In any case, the important thing is that she might be willing to part with a VHS player for the right price. You don't know how much she'll charge, or how long the window of opportunity will be, so you may need to start saving money again as soon as possible.

You go back to your message box, and look at the others. All three are from Eve.

You try not to get too excited as you open the string of messages.

I'm so glad yo're ok! I'm working at Belle's farm but its not goin too well. Ar u staying with someone? You should def go see Io! She's at Harbei Hospital! I wanna go but Yorshk won't let me in! Shes the head doctor there, so no humans allowed. It's bs cause she lets Beck go... gotta go. Food's getting cold.

The next message is dated sometime after midnight.

Hey Nyx, trying to sleep in the barn, but Skip snores really loud. Didn't hear back from you, and I just wanted to say thanks for thinking of me and offering to help. Gramps and I are doing alright, but I feel bad about leaving him by himself. June's been helping to get the shop views, and it seems to be working, so business is good! Still gotta long way to go for the debt, but one day at a time I guess. Klein's been kinda weird about everything. I haven't seen her in a while. Please don't fight if you two run into each other, okay? I miss having you around, but take as much time as you need before you come back home. Text me when you get this!

...You feel a little conflicted. You're happy that Eve is making some progress with herself, but you can tell that she doesn't want you to worry too much about her, so you aren't sure how much of her text is entirely honest. You're also really not sure how you feel about her request. Now that you have a place to call your own, it feels pointless to go back to Sunwich for good. You also have to admit that despite all of the drama that's ensued, you've gone through a great deal of personal growth since you left Eve's side, and a part of you is afraid that you might get complacent and fall back into bad habits if you go back.

You'll need to sit down, and talk to Eve about this. A text won't be enough.

You open the final message... It's dated from earlier this morning.

Have you seen Belle or Rain? They left for the museum last night, but they never came back. Pike's really scared. She says that she never leaves for more than few hours without checking in first... Pike Skip Kon and Wake all went to look for them. I'm staying to watch the farm. Please help if you see them. We're all really concerned!

You frown. You're not particularly attached to either Conjurer, (Belle seems nice enough, but you haven't forgotten that Rain nearly killed you.) but they're Eve's friends, so you resolve to keep an eye open.

You text a quick reply.

I'll look for them as soon as I can. We need to talk later, but we can worry about that once everyone is home safe.

You send the text, and put your phone away. There's more that you want to say, but now hardly seems like the right time.

It's almost time to get back to the museum and start your first day on the job. **Once you commit to this path, you won't be able to return to Solum until the end of the day. Alternatively, you can find something else to do with your day, but leaving now will close off any future interactions with Nile, Ark, Tate, & Avi.**

Start your first day as Specimen Collector?

**[X] Yes - Go back to the museum, and get prepped for your off-world excursion.**

[] No - This might be more dangerous than it's worth. Maybe you should... (Write-in)

There's no point in backing down now. You decide to head back to the museum. Hopefully Nile is back. You need to ask her if she knows anything about what happened to Belle and Rain.

Upon returning, you're greeted at the front door by Tate. Her clothes look rather disheveled, and you notice several small scrapes on the right side of her cheek.

"Figures. You would show up right after we could have used your help." She grumbles.

"Wh-What happened?"

Tate waves your question off, and directs you over to the transporter by the side of the building. "Nothing worth worrying about; Old Cap'n McKracken and a couple of other weirdoes barged in and accused us of kidnapping. Nile sorted it out and sent them on their way, but not before Ark and Wake went at it..."

Tate sighs, and you feel a little self-conscious. Maybe the fight could have been avoided if you'd just stayed in the lobby instead of wandering around...

You push the thought out of your head. It's already happened, and there's no point in worrying about the what-if's.

"How's she d-doing?"

Tate gives you a half-hearted shrug.

"She got pretty banged up, but she'll be fine by the time we get to where we're going. Speaking of which!"

Tate joins you on the teleporter platform. You can hear a high-pitched whine all around you, as the machinery comes to life.

"Last chance to back out!" The sound is so loud now that Tate has to shout over it in order to be heard.

You flash Tate a thumbs up, and she smiles back at you.

"I was honestly expecting you to flake out on us! We'll see how you handle training day!"

The world disappears in a flash of white, and you're whisked away.

.

..

...

You arrive onboard the H.M.S. Tenebro with Tate, and you're both greeted by a flurry of activity. Pengineers of all shapes and sizes move through the hallways purposefully; some are walking, but most are running (or waddling?) as fast as their feet can carry them. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Nile engaged in what appears to be a heated conversation with a Penguin. Tate quickly breaks off from you, and joins in. You watch as her face goes from neutral, to surprised, to very, very, cheesed off in a matter of seconds.

That poor penguin looks like she's about to die from nervousness. Before you can get involved, someone taps you on the shoulder. You turn around, and Avi smiles at you.

"Hail, and well met, Dark Knight!"

...Dark Knight?

You stare uncomprehendingly at Avi.

She stares back at you expectantly.

.

.

.

.

You should probably say hello.

"H-Hi...?"

Avi nods, and takes you by the hand.

"Been a while, hasn't it? Ark was 'sposed to show you around, but stuff happened, and now she can't. Come on, I'll give you the tour!"

Avi gives your hand a quick tug before letting go, and moving down the hallway at a brisk pace. Your legs are long enough that you have little trouble matching her stride, but you wonder why she's in such a hurry.

"You remember the quarters we had you stay in the last time you came? Well that's your room now! You can do whatever in there, as long as you don’t break anything."

You come to a room with several teleportation pads, and Avi points at each pad, and caps it off with a name.

"We got this installed recently cause the Pengineers kept gettin' lost. That's the cafeteria, that's the rec room, this one is for the bridge... and that one leads to the brig. You don't wanna go to the brig. We actually caught two stowaways earlier. We've got them staying in there till Nile figures out what to do with em'."

You perk up at this information, before you can get a word in, Avi's already moving again.

"This one's the infirmary, and this one... is the armory! That's our stop!"

Avi takes a step to the side, and makes a little flourish with her hands in the direction of the pad.

You think she wants you to go first. You step onto the pad, and instantly reappear in another room. Inside are racks and racks of strange items you've never seen before. Their shape reminds you of firearms, but the design and materials look like nothing you've encountered on Solum.

"Hey, you're looking the wrong way. Your gear is over here! You turn around, and see Avi standing next to an open display stand. Inside is a rather... plain looking scythe.

"Go on, take it!"

You lift the scythe off the stand, and feel your core pulse. A surge of energy travels from you to the weapon like an electrical current, and the edge of the blade glows bright with the same shade of blue as your core. You raise your arms to take a test swing, but Avi quickly raises a hand to stop you.

"Whoa, careful with that thing! You nearly sent a shockwave through the hull!"

You don't understand what most of that meant, but you assume that it's bad. You slowly lower the scythe to your side. It feels oddly heavy at one side for some reason...

"Uhh, do you mind lettin' Avi take that back from you?"

She holds her hands out in front of her, and you carefully place the weapon in her palms, and she places it back on the rack. You aren't sure why she wouldn't let you do it instead, but you decide not to question it.

"Hm. Gonna need to let Nile know about that..."

"What's w-wrong?"

"Beats me, but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to do that. Hm."

Avi's face screws up into a tight frown.

"Hrrrrrrm. This kinda messed up my flow; can you gimme a second?"

Avi looks down towards the floor in concentration. You aren't sure what she's thinking about, but it looks important.

Now that she's slowed down (for the moment), you might be able to ask her about the two stowaways being held in the brig. You're also a little curious about the (one-sided) argument that Nile was having with that Pengineer earlier. Maybe Avi might know something?

You could also wait for her to regain her bearings, and see what she has to say then.

You still have no idea what's in store for you, but if that scythe is any indicator, it may be in your best interest to pay attention to whatever information is given to you. This is clearly going to be dangerous work.

What will you do?

**[X] Ask Avi about the stowaways - If you're right, they might be the missing Conjurers.**

[] Ask Avi what Nile was arguing about - You've never seen her that upset about something.

[] Wait for Avi to finish her train of thought - It's the polite thing to do.

You watch as Avi continues to wrack her brain. This is taking too long, and you have a question that needs answering. You give Avi a slight tap on the shoulder.

"H-Hey."

Avi stiffens and her head snaps back up towards you. She looks a little irritated, but not overly so.

"Ahhhhhhh, it's not comin' back to me. What'd you want?"

You get straight to the point.

"You said something ab-b-bout stowaways. I was j-just curious, are they C-C-Conjurers?"

Avi rolls her eyes, and frowns.

"Not this again... do you really think we would hold humans up here especially when we're trying to keep things all hush hush?"

You shake your head. She has a fair point.

"Sorry. My Conj-"

You stop yourself when you realize what you're about to say. It still feels a surreal that you aren't pacted up with Eve.

"I m-mean, Eve was just really worried about t-them. I had to ask."

"I get that. Still haven't seen em' though. All we got in the brig are a tiny oni and a..."

The look on Avi's face becomes extremely pensive for a moment. She relaxes again, and keeps talking.

"It's not important. Look, if it makes you feel any better, how about we do this?"

Avi walks towards a monitor near one of the weapon racks and taps the screen. A cross-section of the entire ship is displayed, and you see bright dots of varying colors moving around the interior. Avi taps the lower half of the ship, and the image zooms in until you see a miniature version of the armory. Two dots are inside, one white, and one blue. You assume that they're meant to represent the two of you.

"Neat, right? The ship's got phase, aura and element trackers!"

Avi pulls the map out. Then zooms in on the brig. You only see one gray dot.

"I know what you're thinking, but there's definitely something else in there; it's just that our systems don't pick it up is all."

"B-But what is it?"

"Man, you're nosy; I said it's not important!"

Avi continues to pan the map around the ship until she zooms in on what looks like the bridge. You see two beige dots in an isolated area just above it. You assume that it might be a maintenance passage. Before you can question it, the monitor starts to beep, and a live feed of Nile fills the screen.

Her usually lax smile looks very strained right now; She's probably worried about her wife.

"I'm sorry about putting this on you, Avi. Are you almost done?"

"Naaah, it's no big deal. We're about to head your way, but you might wanna have someone look at that scythe again."

Avi jabs a thumb in your direction.

"I think she's puttin' out way more energy than what it can hold!"

Nile lets out a deep sigh.

"...Things really don't seem to be going our way today, do they? Alright, I'll have Tate take a look at it once we're underway. Why don't you two come up to the bridge so we can get things started?"

"You got it!"

The feed cuts away, and Avi walks back over to the teleportation pad. You follow behind her, and take another pad that brings you to the bridge. Avi quickly hops into what you assume is the pilot's seat, and Nile is waiting for you just as you step off of the pad.

"Glad to see you took my advice Nyx, you're looking much healthier since the last time I saw you!"

Despite the pleasant look on her face, you can't tell if she's being genuine or facetious with her statement. You decide not to think about it too hard, and return her smile.

"Yeah, it was a g-g-good thing that I got c-checked out when I d-d-did."

You don't have any intention of telling her all the fine details of what happened. Thankfully, she seems to accept your statement with a nod.

"I'm afraid I might have to apologize, I was hoping to make your first outing a simple one, but the circumstances are less than favorable."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Normally the specimens we acquire are the kind we can introduce to Solum as a means of helping the environment along... but this time our services are being contracted. Are you familiar with the Epsilonians?"

You nod.

"A little bit. Eve had to n-negotiate a d-d-deal with them once."

Nile looks confused by this, but she quickly recovers when she realizes which 'Eve' you're talking about.

"I see. Well we have an arrangement of sorts with them, and they're a little upset at us over our last procurement... and now we're going to have fulfill their request if we want to keep things running smoothly."

She sighs, and lets her actual mood show. Her brow creases with distress, as if figuring out the best way to tell you something you really don't want to hear.

"There's no good way to say this... but the specimens we're being asked to retrieve are far more dangerous than what we normally handle. I wouldn't even ask this of you under normal circumstances, but Ark is still healing. Depending on how long that takes, I may need you to perform the actual retrieval... alone."

"**What?!**"

You blanch at this. Retrieving dangerous animals is one thing, but being sent to another planet by yourself with no backup is much more than what you signed up for.

Nile raises her hands in a placating manner before you can make you dissatisfaction known.

"I know I'm asking for a lot, but I am more than willing to appropriately compensate you for your help. **20,000** yuan for even showing up today, and another **30,000** once we make a successful capture and delivery."

"I don't have m-much of a choice, do I?" It's the only reason you can think of for why she would offer you such a large amount of money at the last second.

"Hey, we gave you a chance to back out; don't start crying about it now."

You look over to your left, and see Tate standing at a computer console tapping furiously at one of the screens.

Her comment is more than a little harsh, but she isn't wrong.

"Besides, we left Solum's orbit minutes ago; you're in this for the long haul."

You were fine a little while ago, but now that it's actually happening, you feel **extremely anxious**.

You turn your attention back to Nile as she reaches into the folds of her kimono and pulls out a small data pad, which she hands to you.

"We have two options for which specimen to retrieve, both of which are located in entirely different solar systems. This is all the information we were forwarded on each specimen. Since you're the one taking the biggest personal risk, I can at least let you choose which one you feel the most comfortable tackling."

You look down at the entries on the data pad.

#001: Unnamed Parasitic Lifeform. (UPL)

Location: Planet DS499

Habitat: Native species, can be found in most places on the planet. (Additional scans show minimal structures on the surface, with strange geothermal activity below the surface. Possibly a nest.)

Characteristics: Subject UPL is capable of draining life force upon contact with its beaks. No fluids are extracted from victims, but all tests have ended with a loss of life in each instance of prolonged exposure to subject UPL. Subject becomes **extremely agitated in the presence of Mogwai**, though this is likely due to the energy emitted from cores (Results inconclusive; more data needed) Subject has shown a **susceptibility to ice weaponry**, though all attempts at retrieving a live specimen have ended in either failure due to the specimen's tenacity, or **intervention from hostile 3rd parties**.

Objective: Retrieve a live specimen for study; ideally a juvenile if possible.

Threat level: **Extremely High**.

#002: Egg Clutch. Species Unknown.

Location: Clutch was discovered originally on an unnamed moon in Xoth territory, listed on star charts as HB-642 (No atmosphere; Use of protective equipment is a must.)

Habitat: N/A

Characteristics: No data available. Several attempts have been made to retrieve samples, but contact with initial scout team was lost. The included image is the only visual of contact.

Objective: Retrieve a sample from the egg clutch. If possible, locate missing members of Epsilonian scout team.

Threat Level: **N/A**. Not enough data to appropriately assess threat level.

You frown at both options; neither of these are appealing.

The mission to DS499 is a lot more clear cut than the other one, though it sounds like there may be a lot more danger involved. You also really don't like the idea of a creature that can kill you just by biting you.

On the other hand, the mission to HB-642 has more unknown factors surrounding it than you'd like. Sure, you may just be grabbing a couple of eggs, but if the lack of information is any indication, you have no idea what else you might find there. You want to turn that one down too, but there may also be lives at stake as well. What if the missing team is still alive?

"Have you made your decision?" Nile asks. "I'm sorry to rush you, but we don't have a lot of time to waste. The sooner you choose, the sooner we can leave."

You look at Nile, and take a deep breath.

Which specimen will you choose?

[] Subject UPL - It may be more dangerous, but at least you have a better idea of what it is you're dealing with.

**[X] Unknown Egg Clutch – Grabbing a bunch of eggs doesn't sound too difficult, and the possibility of saving lives makes this too important to ignore.**


	12. Arc 2: Part 9

You decide to go with the egg retrieval mission. It's less certain, but you also don't feel like dealing with angry space parasites.

"W-We'll go to HB-642."

Nile purses her lips, and breathes out of her nose. If anything, your answer only seems to have added to her thinly veiled distress.

"...Very well. Avi, set the course. Tate? See if you can't fix up that prototype scythe into something less volatile."

"Can't you get one of the pengineers to do it?" Tate whines. Nile turns to face her. You can't see her expression, but something on her face convinces Tate to change her mind.

"Fiiiiiine. I'm going to need at least four hours."

"You've got two."

Tate sucks her teeth, but says nothing. She leaves the bridge, but not without flashing you a dirty look. You shrug. It's not as if you're the one that made the stupid weapon.

You turn back to Nile.

"Not for n-nothing, but w-what's wrong with my scythe?"

It's a legitimate question. Noctis has always served you well, and if there's no reason to part with it, then you won't.

"Nothing at all. It was meant to be a welcoming gift more than anything! If things do turn unpleasant, yours should work just fine; but I have faith in Tate's abilities to iron out the kinks in the one we've made for you; why don't you stop by the armory and take a look at her process?"

You shake your head.

"I just w-want to get this over and d-done with."

At that moment, the pengineer you saw earlier runs up to Nile, just as nervous as the last time.

"Hey, uh... boss? We finally finished going over the scans in the brig, and... we may have a teensy problem."

"Oh, what is it _now_?" You take a small amount of satisfaction in the fact that Nile seems about as fed up with her day as you are.

The pengineer leans her beak in close, and whispers something in Nile's ear that causes her eyes to go wide as her pupils visibly shrink to the size of pins.

"You're _certain?_"

"Yeah, no doubt about it. The scan came back negative for any cores."

"I want the tiny oni moved out of the brig. Keep-"

"Tony, ma'am." The pengineer chimes in. "He said his name is Tony."

"_I don't care what his name is!_ Keep him in the specimen room with the others for now. I want the brig put on full lockdown; Seal it off completely. I want eyes on the feed at all times until we get back to Solum."

"Yes ma'am!"

The pengineer zips off, and Nile takes a moment to recompose herself.

"Sorry for the interruption. I think it goes without saying that the brig is off-limits. If you'll excuse me, I need to see to things personally.

Nile smiles apologetically, but she's done that one too many times for you to actually take the gesture seriously.

"It's going to take some time before we reach our destination, so you can do as you please until then; just don't interrupt the pengineers during their work."

She walks away as she ends her sentence, opting to take the hallway rather than use the teleporter.

"Crazy day, huh?"

You turn around. You'd forgotten that Avi was still on the bridge with you. Her focus seems split between you and the monitor in front of her.

"It gets kinda boring waiting around, so you should definitely go take a walk. You could always hang out here with me too, I don't mind!"

You take a moment to consider your options; you actually have quite a few.

You could take a bit of time to rest in your quarters until you reach your destination; you could certainly use the rest to calm your nerves. Despite getting a full night's sleep, (and then some) you're still in a bit of a funk from your run-in with Han last night.

There's also the infirmary. You don't have any reason to visit, but you recall Ark being one of the first to help you back on your feet when you collapsed in the museum a few days ago. You should at least peek in, and say hello.

The cafeteria might also be a good choice. You could get something to eat, and mingle with the other crew-members; you might hear some interesting rumors since you doubt the pengineers are tight-lipped amongst themselves.

You could also go back to the armory. You have a hard time believing Tate to be capable of decent blacksmith work, and you'd like to be there to give your input... assuming she'll accept it.

There might be a terminal somewhere where you can access data logs. You vaguely recall Chip and Luca becoming extremely excited over the prospect the last time you were here. Maybe you could learn something interesting?

You could try to sneak into the brig as well, but if whatever's in there is threatening enough to rattle Nile, you aren't sure if you want to take the risk. Plus, you have no idea how she'll react if she finds out that you entered a restricted area.

There's always the option of just walking around the ship, and seeing what you might find.

...Or you could just talk with Avi for a while. Not the most productive means of spending your time, but she's been the most pleasant person here thus far.

What will you do? (Pick two.)

**[X] Rest in your quarters. (Restore mood/Briefly switch perspective to Rain.)**

**[X] Visit Ark in the infirmary. - Hopefully Wake didn't hurt her too bad.**

[] Get some food from the cafeteria. - See if you can familiarize yourself with some of the crew.

[] Go see Tate in the armory. - See what kind of new weapon she puts up for you. (Insert Scythe names here.)

[] Look around the computers for any information that interests you. - Maybe you can learn something that might make Luca more approachable in the future.

[] Sneak into the brig. - If there's something dangerous on the ship, you have every right to know about it.

[] Take a walk with no destination in mind.

[] Hang out on the bridge and talk to Avi about (Write-in)

You politely decline Avi's offer, and she waves you off with a smile as you leave the bridge. Now that you're left to your own devices, the ship seems a lot more intimidating to you. You assume that most of the pengineers are at their posts, as the hallways seem to be completely deserted. It's more than a little unsettling.

You come across the path to the infirmary, and decide that it might be a good idea to check in on Ark. As you near the entrance, you're greeted by a rather imposing steel door. It makes sense that this area would have additional safety measures, so you think nothing of it. You approach the door, and a small slot opens in front of your face.

Just as you move your face close to it, a harsh red light shoots out, blinding you as it pans up and down your body.

As you rub your eyes, you hear an automated voice.

"**Decontamination complete.**"

The doors open, and you stumble into the infirmary, grumbling the entire time. Around the corner, you see the raised back of an operating table with with several mechanical arms moving about. As you get closer, you see Ark's hair peeking just above the headrest.

"Hey. I can feel the vibration off your footsteps, you know. Quit skulking around, and come on over if you're comin."

Ark's awareness takes you by surprise. You're still at least fifteen feet away from her. You quicken your pace, and circle around the table.

When you reach the other side, you wince at Ark's current appearance. The top half of Ark's clothes have been stripped away, and the mechanical arms are currently stitching up what looks like several deep lacerations that trail up her torso, and end just underneath her left armpit. The entire wound appears to be in the pattern of a tentacle. She seems completely unfazed by the machines tugging at her skin, but she does raise an eyebrow at your presence.

Huh. You never realized she had a glass eye underneath that eyepatch.

"Gonna be honest, I wasn't expecting to see you here. Did you want something?"

You shake your head.

"Not r-really. I just w-w-wanted to make sure you were o-okay."

"Oh. Huh. Well thanks, I appreciate it."

"S-Sure."

You turn around to leave, but Ark calls out to you.

"Hey waitaminute. Why are you in such a rush? Sit down with me for a bit."

Ark gestures at a white chair next to the table. You weren't expecting her to actually want to talk to you, and you're not sure what to say.

Ark mistakes your awkwardness for nervousness, and rolls her eyes.

"What? Scared?"

You scoff in return.

"No. J-J-Just don't have anything to t-talk about."

"Well, all the more reason to sit down with me then. You can't get to know someone if you spend all your time hiding away."

She points at the chair one more time.

"Sit."

Her smile is wide and toothy, but companionable rather than threatening. You relent, and take the seat next to her.

"There you go! So, I know we're probably not off to the best start, but I hope you don't hold it against Nile. This whole situation sprung up at the last second."

"Do you m-m-mean the s-specimens?"

"Yeah. We were originally gonna grab some meat seedlings from a local moon. You ever been to Chopskinville?"

You wrinkle your nose at the memory. Much too hot for your liking.

"Yeah."

"You ever see the 'trees' there? They're actually not native to Solum."

"Oh."

You don't really care, but you nod anyway. Ark seems to pick up on your disinterest, and shrugs.

"Well fine then. You can talk about something instea-_OW!_"

One of the arms tugs a little too hard on the sutures, causing the wound to bleed a little. Another arm descends with a sterilized towel and dabs the wound before resuming the stitch work.

"Man... felt that one!"

"Are you alright?"

Ark looks down at her wound, then back towards you.

"Yeah, I'll be fine though. I gotta say, I never thought I'd ever see Wake of all people get mad over a missing human..."

"I'm s-sorry I wasn't there to h-help."

Wake looks slightly confused at your statement.

"It's not like you knew what was gonna happen, and besides, we're the ones that told you to come back later, so it's no fault of yours! Why would you even feel that way?"

You aren't sure how to answer that.

"Forget it. Wake and I are always gonna go at it no matter what. It's just who we are."

You nod sympathetically.

"I g-get that completely."

Ark looks at you with surprise.

"...You? Really?"

"Yeah. T-T-There are a f-few people in my l-life that I can never f-forgive."

You scowl just thinking about Klein and Han. Ark however, looks at you as if she's only just now seeing you for the first time.

"...So, what's your story, kid?"

"It's a l-long story."

"Well, we've got time."

You're surprised at just how easy the words come at her insistence. As you tell the story of how you became a Reaper, Ark listens with rapt interest; smiling as you mention your Eve, and softening her features once you reach the part about your imprisonment. By the time you’re done, Ark's eyes have a slight sheen to them. She lets out a low whistle.

"Sheesh...no wonder you always look so pissed off about something whenever I see you."

You snort at Ark's remark, and she chuckles for a moment before sighing.

"Didn't think Klein had that in her; but can you really hold that against her? Running away, I mean."

You turn back to Ark with an irritated look. You didn't expect her to be sympathetic towards Klein at all.

"I'm serious. If things could have gone differently, would you have honestly felt better making your last stand and dying together?"

"K-Klein was only w-w-worried about h-herself."

"Even so. It still doesn't change my point. No reason to waste your life if you don't have to."

You look away in frustration... and shame. You won't admit it to her, but a large part of you wishes that you and Eve could have died together. It's morbid, but being the one left behind feels so much worse. Ark seems to pick up on what you're thinking, and shakes her head.

"Hey, I'm not judging you. If anything, I'm impressed. You're tough where it counts. I don't think many people could keep living through that kind of heartbreak."

"W-What about you? Y-Y-You're wife was a Conjurer, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, and I got really, really lucky finding her again; and I almost gave up before I did."

Ark runs a hand alongside the scar on her face, and yawns.

You stretch your arms over your head, and feel several of your joints pop.

"I guess. I d-didn't think we'd spend s-so much time talking."

Ark smiles.

"Me either, actually; you should hang out with me and Tate the next time we go out!"

You get up from the chair and shrug.

"I d-don't know about that."

"I'm not gonna twist your arm, but think about it, alright?"

She yawns again as the last set of stitches are closed up. You have no idea how she isn't bothered by that.

The rest of the arms retreat back into the ceiling, and Ark flexes her chest and ab muscles. She winces.

"Damn. She got me good, but I think I can walk it off. Painkillers're starting to kick in. I think I'm gonna take a nap till we get to wherever we're going. You should do the same."

"Alright. T-Take care of yourself Ark."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine. And Nyx?"

"Yeah?"

The half-smile on her face turns into a stern look of concern.

"You be careful out there. If things get too crazy, I've got your back."

You nod. Ark nods back, then turns away from you to rest on her side.

"Alright, nap time. Get outta here."

You leave the infirmary with a small smile on your face. You and Ark may have more common ground than you thought.

**\---Affinity raised with Ark---**

(_You've gained the "Grit Those Teeth" Perk. When in close proximity to Ark, you gain the ability to shrug off blows that might normally incapacitate you._)

You return to your quarters feeling... good? You aren't sure what word you want to use, but this feeling isn't unpleasant at all. You weren't expecting to open up to Ark at all, but you're glad you did. Part of you is still thinking about what you talked about earlier.

Is living alone really that much worse than dying together?

You run a hand along the scarf piece in your jacket, then pause and pull away.

You resolve to call Io as soon as you get back to Solum; if only to hear her go on about her day. You lay down on the cot in your room, and close your eyes.

_...You still see her in your sleep._

.

..

...

(_Meanwhile..._)

You are **Rain Sicilienne**, and you are **not** talking to Belle right now.

"Look, I said I was sorry. Don't know how many times it's gonna take 'til you accept it."

You continue sharpening your sword in the tight confines of the passageway you two have stopped in. You glare daggers at Belle over the edge of your blade, and she looks away from you with a wince.

It's been roughly seven hours since the two of you found yourselves inside this strange construct. It was your idea to climb into this passage before anyone could locate the two of you, and you've been moving about this way ever since. You put away your sword and whetstone, and peek through several slits in the floor panel.

"What do you see, Rain?"

You see a room that looks like it has several computers hooked up to one really computer. There's a word for that, but you don't know it, and you really don't care.

"Big computers. No one's around."

"Ahh, she speaks! Move over, lemme see!"

"_**Keep your voice down.**_" You hiss. She looks through the slits, then turns to you.

"Okay, can you get us down there? I have an idea."

You peek again to make sure no one is in the room, then take a deep breath, and stand up. Your head hits the ceiling before you can even stand halfway, and you brace your legs against the floor, and push with all your might.

.

..

...

You feel the steel starting to give way underneath you.

"Quickly, wrap your legs around my waist and hold on tight."

Belle gives you a skeptical look.

"Not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I'm not really interested in you like th-."

The panel creaks again, and you lose your patience.

"_**Fais ce que je te dis, espèce d'idiot!**_"

Belle's eyes widen at your tone of voice, and she quickly crawls next to you. She manages to grab hold of you just as the panel beneath you gives way. The fall is a twenty-foot drop, and you manage to shrug it off as you land. As you stand back to your full height, you look down, and see Belle still clinging onto you for dear life.

You tap her on the head, and she looks up at you with an embarrassed blush.

"Let go of me."

"Y-Y-Yeah... I'll do that."

She puts her feet to the ground, but her legs are still wobbly, and she nearly falls. You grab her by the shoulder, and steer her over to the nearest chair.

"Sorry about the joke. Oh man... I was not expectin' that big of a drop. I owe you one."

You have half a mind to tell her that she owes you a lot more than that, but that would be needlessly rude. You can tell she's just nervous about the current situation. Some people shut down, and other's try to make jokes to keep calm. You prefer to tackle your situations head on. You take post by the door, ready to subdue anyone that walks in.

"Belle, if you're going to do something, now is the time. We don't know how long it'll be before someone comes back."

"...You're right. Lemme get to it."

You don't take your eyes off the door, but you can hear the sound of electronic key tones, and a keyboard clacking.

"Well this is interesting. Looks like they use the same radio frequencies here as they do on Solum."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I might be able to make an on-and-off switch for some of these systems with my phone. Gimme a minute."

You hear several indistinct voices on the other side of the door getting closer.

You draw your sword.

"Whatever you're going to do, _hurry._"

You can faintly make out some their words.

_"...Reaper? Really?"_

_"Yeah, ...kinda weak looking though, like... skinny home... ....erson."_

_"Rude!"_

_"Anyway... specemin... brig... lockdown."_

"Okay, got it, Rain!"

You turn around as Belle gets up from the chair, and points her phone towards the door. She taps a finger against the screen, and all of the lights in the room go out. You hear something like a lock closing, and you assume that the door has been closed on both sides.

You don't hear the voices on the other side anymore. Hopefully they've passed by.

Belle sets her phone down on the floor as a makeshift light source, and you rally near it, and putting your sword away in the process.

"Wow. I didn't know you could do that kind of thing."

Belle chuckles nervously.

"Yeah, well, neither did I. Guess all those weird electives I took in school paid off."

"I heard someone say something strange. Something about a Reaper, a specimen, and a lockdown."

Belle puts a finger to her chin.

"Hmm. Maybe this is some sort of test facility?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. All we should be worried about is getting home."

Belle huffs, clearly annoyed at your lack of curiosity.

"And what would you suggest we do then?"

Before you can say anything, you hear a voice over the speakers.

"**Attention. Attention. Now arriving at our destination. All relevant personnel, please report to your positions.**"

You turn to Belle. You may have an idea in mind.

"They speak our language, so maybe they'll respond to a ransom. You can shut anything off with that thing, right?"

You slam a fist against your open palm.

"Then let's lay low till things go quiet again, find the main power supply, cut it off, then make our demands. They'll pretty much have to do what we say."

.

..

...

You are **Nyx Ronove**, and you really don't like this orange space suit. It's extremely uncomfortable, and you can barely turn in it.

You look at Nile from your spot on the teleporter.

"So, e-explain to me the m-mission plan one m-more time?"

Nile nods.

"We'll be teleporting you a half mile away from the scouting team's last known location. You'll head north from there. The landmark you'll be looking for will be a large burrow; you go there, recover as many eggs as you can carry in the sack we gave you, then get back to the rendezvous point. If you find any survivors, get them back as well. We'll be in radio contact with you the entire time. Do you have any questions?"

You shake your head, and Nile turns to a pengineer behind a console.

"Alright. Best of luck, Nyx."

You hear a familiar whine, and the world fades to white.

.

..

...

You arrive at HB-642. You look up, and see the Tenebro in orbit. There's no atmosphere, and you can see the entire galaxy. There's also no sound here, save for your own breathing. The world around you is uncomfortably still. You turn north, and see nothing of note; bluish-gray rocks as far as the eye can see. You radio in to Nile.

"Is a-anyone there?"

You hear silence on the other end, until a burst of static fills your ear.

"...eading you just fine, Nyx. Just keep heading north."

"I don't see anything."

"...Copy that. Keep heading north."

You groan, and start walking. Your steps are light and bouncy. Gravity seems to be much lower here than it is on Solum. You walk for several more minutes, but stop when you hear a loud click in your headset.

You test the radio, just to be sure.

"Nile? N-Nile?"

You hear nothing on the other end.

You look up at the Tenebro again, and notice that all of the lights are out. The ship is listing to one side, and its orbit is rapidly decaying.

You get a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, but you try your best to stay calm.

You don't know what's happening up there, but panicking won't help. The best thing for you to do now, is focus on your task. If there was another group that came here before, maybe they brought something with them can help you reestablish contact with Nile.

You take a deep breath, and continue north.

You come across an absurdly large fissure in the ground. Calling it a burrow would be a misnomer. If you had to guess, this fissure would have to be at least a mile wide from where you're standing. You lean over the side, and peer down. It's too dark to make anything out, and you frown.

As you look over to your left, you see two flashing lights in the distance; one green, and one red. You think it might be part of a spacecraft. Maybe you can find something there that can help you get back to the Tenebro.

You take a look at your oxygen reserves. You have five hours’ worth of air. You could take a chance, and head towards the light, but that looks like it might take at least an hour to get there from where you are... and that's not including the trip back.

There's still the mission at hand. Despite the low gravity, you don't think jumping down into the fissure would be a smart idea. Maybe if you follow it along one side, you can find a better way to get down there. That may take about about thirty minutes though.

You look back up.

...The ship has gotten a lot bigger in the distance since the last time you looked.

What will you do?

Current Oxygen Timer: 5:00:00

[] Head towards the lights - See if there's anything in the area you can use. (Use one hour.)

[] Jump straight into the fissure - You may not have a way back right now, but you still don't have time to waste regardless. (No time penalty.)

[] Take the long way into the fissure - You don't know how far of a drop that is, better safe than sorry. (Use thirty minutes.)

**[X] Change perspectives (Tiny Oni Tony.)**


	13. Arc 2: Part 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for blood, and light body horror. Please keep this in mind if these things upset you.

You turn left, and begin to head towards the flashing lights. As far as you're concerned, survival is priority number one: Recovering the eggs means nothing if you can't return to the Tenebro. You begin your long trek, with nothing but the sound of your own breathing as company.

As you traverse the barren moon, you think about your relationship with Io. When this is all over, You intend to spend an entire day with her. This has been way more stressful that you ever imagined it would be, and you could do with some of her positivity. You also want to take the time to truly reaffirm that you still feel the same romantic attraction that you did yesterday.

It might sound flighty, but you feel that it's a legitimate concern... you've been thinking a lot about your Eve since last night at the graveyard.

Your conversation with Ark hasn't helped in that regard either. Your thoughts haven't gone completely morose like when you were still a full Reaper, but you could easily see it happening, and the idea of falling back into that self-destructive cycle scares you deeply.

You'll have to make sure to sit down and have an honest conversation with her about all of your concerns. She deserves that much.

You look back up at the Tenebro.

You hope everyone's doing okay up there....

.

..

...

(One hour has elapsed, and Nyx has made two additional decisions upon reaching her destination. Due to events occurring from her perspective, Nyx's mood has shifted to **deeply disturbed**. She is currently unharmed.)

.

..

...

You are **Tony**, and it's really dark in here, man.

You were sittin' in lockup for ages next to the weirdo with the Bad Vibes, before some birds with guns came in, and moved you to a room with a TV and a bunch of other guys. You tried talking to them, but they were all watching some weird cartoons.

You don't care about that kinda stuff, man. You're all about self-expression; gotta move your feet, and you can't do that if you're sittin' down in front of a screen all the time.

Of course, that don't matter right now, cause the power went out a while ago. All of the doors are still locked, but everyone's screamin' and cryin' now that there's nothing to do.

Whatever, man. You've done hard time before, 'Ven's Corner' was way worse than this.

You kinda wanna go see her now. You learned some funky new moves from a Manticore you met in Solburg yesterday, (before Bad Vibes chased you down and got you both abducted this morning...) and you really want to show her.

You like Ven. She's pretty cool when she's not being scary. You hope she won't be too mad at you runnin' away...

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh I can't take it anymore, man!"

"I gotta know what happens!"

"PUT THE TV BACK ON!"

....Oh that ain't good. You look over your shoulder. It looks like everyone's startin' to get mad. This could be your ticket outta this room, but you still have no clue where you are.

...That, and you're pretty sure you heard something creepin' through the vents an hour ago. You're not scared or anything, but you ain't about that life, man. It's chill in here. You like chill.

You also like not getting shot by birds with guns.

Still, you're kinda curious what's outside. You saw a bunch of weird animals on the way in, and you really wanna know what they taste like.

You should also try to rescue Bad Vibes... even though you really don't want to. You heard someone talking about throwing her out the air lock.

You saw that once in a movie, it doesn't look like fun.

"**More TV or we RIOT, MAN!**"

These guys have no chill, man. Maybe you should calm these guys down instead. You can't hear yourself think.

What are you gonna do, man?

(Current Oxygen Timer: 4:00:00)

[] Rile up the boys – Time for a jailbreak, man! Break all the stuff! (Ten minutes)

[] Sneak out and try to find a power switch or something – You work alone, man. Gotta calm everyone down before they wreck the place. Maybe sample the food on the way over. (Thirty-five minutes)

**[X] Sneak out, and try to break Bad Vibes out from lockup - Ven would be upset if you let something happen to that weirdo. (Thirty-five minutes)**

[] Switch perspectives. (Nyx, Ark, Tate)

Yeeaaaaaah, you don't like her, but you should probably help out Bad Vibes. She's weird, but not "blow it out the airlock" weird. Just gotta find a way out.

One of the other guys throws a chair at the vent, and it breaks.

.

..

...

You just got an idea. You turn to the closest dude next to you, and poke him. He looks pretty mad.

"What, man?!"

"Hey man, can you do me a solid? I need you to throw me up there."

He looks at you for a couple of seconds, then shrugs before tossing you over his head. You go flying into the ceiling headfirst, and break through to the other side. You look back down into the room. Doesn't look like anyone else is paying attention, they'll probably keep cryin' about the TV for a while, then fall asleep. Maybe.

Whatever, man. You're free, so it's all good.

You move through the vents until you see two birds in the hallway underneath you, one has a flashlight, and the other has a really big gun. You freeze and listen as they talk to each other.

"Man, we haven't seen anyone else in forever. You think Tate's almost done with the manual startup? We're getting really close to the surface..."

"Shut up, Kate! That's the last thing I want to think about right now! Let's just focus on securing the brig like Nile said."

"...Which way was it again? I'm so used to the teleporters now."

"Are you serious? Check the map on the wall! It's the fourth left down this hallway."

"You don't have to be rude about it, grouch..."

You're bored listenin' to these two now.

You stomp down on the panel beneath you, and it falls onto the bird with the gun, knocking her out cold. You drop down from the ceiling and grab the gun from off the floor. Your hands are too small to reach the trigger, so you use it as a club instead. You go upside the other bird's head, and she falls to the floor with a thud.

This is too easy, man.

You drop the gun, and grab the flashlight instead. You also find a weird shiny card too. You try to bite it, and you flinch.

It's like biting aluminum! Not cool, man. You hold onto it anyways, might be able to sell it back home.

You walk down the hallway, remembering what those two said.

Two doors on the right. No, wait. Was it three doors down? There aren't even any doors down this hall, man!

Uh... whatever!

You pick a random direction, and wing it!

.

..

...

You stop in front of a giant door you remember from earlier in the day. You and Bad Vibes got brought here first. Yeah, this is definitely the lock up.

You walk forward... and bump your head against the door.

It's alright; you meant to do that. You knock a hand on the door. Feels pretty hard. You could probably chew a hole in it, but that's gonna take forever... You look over to the side of the door, and see a square the same color as that shiny card you picked up. You take the card in your hands and try to figure out what it all means.

.

..

...

You have no idea it means. This whole situation's making you lose your chill.

Whatever. You tried to help. You toss the card away, and it lands on that weird square on the door. Moments later, the door slides open.

Well that works too.

You take the flashlight in your hands, and shine it forward. The cell in front of you looks empty, they probably put her in one closer to the back. You call out to her.

"Hey weirdo, I'm here to bust you out. You in here, man?"

You hear a whiny voice call from the cell on your right. Ugh. She's already killin your chill...

"Tony, is that you?! What's happening?"

You shine a light on the cell, and Bad Vibes covers her eyes.

"I dunno, man. I was watching TV, and the next thing I know, boom. No lights, man."

She moves closer to the bars, and puts a hand on them.

You instinctively take a big step back. You want her anywhere near you.

"Nah, man. You gotta move away so I can break these bars."

She looks at you, and raises her eyebrows like she doesn't think you can do it.

.

..

...

Bruh.

You ram your head into the bars without waiting for her to move, and the entire section goes flying across the cell, nearly clipping Bad Vibes in the process. She screams at you.

"What gives, you jerk?!"

You shrug.

"Told you to move, man."

She steps out of the broken cell, and you keep your distance.

"Why do you keep doing that?" She asks.

"Cause I don't want your bad vibes rubbin' off on me, man."

You toss the flashlight at her, and she catches it.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

You give her a flat look.

"Don't play dumb, man. I got it off the birds... so do that thing you do."

She doesn't understand for a moment, but then she makes an 'o' with her face.

"Oooooooooooooh."

And then she makes an 'o' sound with her face. This girl is dumb, man...

She takes the flashlight, and closes her hand tight around it. For a split second, her entire body shakes like cold jelly in the fridge, and you have to look away until she's done... It's only gonna get worse.

The noises coming from behind you sound a lot like spaghetti when you squish it between your fingers.

You shudder. _**Baaaaaad vibes, man.**_

The sound stops, and you turn around.

Bad Vibes has her hands clutched against her head. She looks really spooked.

You don't wanna think about where that flashlight is right now.

She turns to you, and sprints toward you faster than you can react. You yelp as she grabs you by the scruff of your neck, and brings your face close to hers.

She gasps.

"They're gonna kill me!"

She gasps again.

"We're gonna crash soon!"

And again...

"**We gotta get the power back on!**"

And you scream as you feel her bad vibes rubbing off on you.

"Lemme down, man! _**Lemme down, maaaaaaaannnnnnn!**_"

She gets a hold of herself, and lets you down. You quickly scoot away.

**She took all of your chill!**

"Man, I should've left you in there!"

She calms down a bit, then starts walking away.

You stay right where you are.

She stops, and turns around.

"Tony, what are you waiting for? We gotta go!"

"I ain't goin _anywhere_ with you, man."

"Then why'd you even help me in the first place if you can't stand me that much?"

You're not about to admit that you just wanted to make Ven happy. Better come up with something quick.

"Cause now you owe me, man! I'm goin my own way, so you better not tell Ven where I am!"

Bad Vibes sighs.

"Look, if this is about earlier, I only came looking for you because she asked me to. If you really don't wanna go back, fine. I'll stay quiet... but if you don't help me fix things, we're not even going to get that far!"

She starts to do her 'thing' again, and you shut your eyes. When you open them again, she looks just like one of those birds you knocked out.

"I can get around the ship like this, but I'm gonna need your muscle if we run into anyone else. Let's stick together for now, then you can go do whatever you want later, man... oh, _damn it!_"

You give Bad Vibes the meanest look you can give her.

"Sorry! A little bit of you must have rubbed off on me when I grabbed you."

"...Weirdo."

"Stop calling me that! My name is Mickayla, man! Ugh... I hate this."

She groans loudly. Outside, you hear the sounds of several footsteps.

"Alright, enough arguing! Are you gonna help me, or not?"

You really want nothing else to do with her right now, but sticking with Bad Vibes is probably your best bet at getting the power back on.

...You don't like the idea of being stuck with her for too long, though. You've been around Bad Vibes long enough to know that she's a trouble magnet. Maybe you should ditch her as soon as possible, and figure out how to get the power on yourself?

What are you gonna do, man?

(Current Oxygen Timer: 03:25:00)

[] Stick with Bad Vibes, and help her get the power back on - This partnership is only temporary, man! (Two hours)

[] Ditch Bad Vibes, and find another way to fix the power - You're grown, so you can figure it out on your own! (Twenty minutes)

**[X] Stick with Bad Vibes, but switch perspective (Ark) (Two hours)**

[] Ditch Bad Vibes, but switch perspective (Tate, Ark, Belle, Mickayla) (Twenty minutes)

(...Meanwhile, Nyx has made three decisions, resulting in her discovering the location of the missing crewmembers, and safely retrieving five eggs... however, she has been **injured and rendered unconscious by an unknown assailant, and will be unavailable for a perspective switch until further notice.**)

You'll stick with Bad Vibes... for now. The footsteps are coming closer, and you bet it's more of those birds.

You turn to her, and suck your teeth.

"Alright, man... let's do it."

She nods.

"Alright, come walk in front of me!"

You don't like that idea. You wanna keep eyes on her at all times.

"Nah, man. I'm stayin' behind you."

"But how am I supposed to pretend to capture you, man?!"

...You _really_ don't like it when she does that. You ignore it, and move to the inside of the busted cell.

"You're with me, man. We don't gotta take nothin' from anyone. Just stay there, and I'll do the rest."

"W-W-Wha?!"

You crouch down low, and wait for the birds to show themselves.

.

..

...

Oh, that's not birds.

You're shocked to see two human girls run in. One has poofy orange hair and an ugly pink shirt, while the other, meaner looking one has green shorts and blue... poofier hair?

Actually, you have no idea what's goin' on with that hair. That's a fashion crime, man...

Green shorts bum-rushes Bad Vibes with her shield, and pins her to the wall.

"Don't move, don't talk. Listen. Nod if you understand."

Bad Vibes nods her bird head, and Pink Shirt looks like she's about to throw a fit.

"Rain, I told you not to do that! I'm sorry about my friend here, she's just... really stressed right now!"

Green Shorts starts talking to Bad Vibes like she wasn't even listening.

"We're in control of your ship now. Take us to your leader, we want to discuss negotiations."

Before Bad Vibes can say anything, Pink Shirt starts to argue.

"There's no point in saying that anymore! I can't figure out how to turn it back on, that's why we're runnin' around lookin' for help! How are we supposed to get things fixed, if you're just gonna bully the first person we see?!"

Green Shorts turns her head away from Bad Vibes, and screams back at her friend(?).

"I've had enough of you! We wouldn't be here now if you'd just listened to-"

You see her eyes squint.

Oh man, she totally sees you.

She lets go of Bad Vibes, (who crumples to the floor like the drama queen that she is) and pulls out a sharp looking sword.

Just great, man... now you've actually gotta work hard.

Green shorts lunges at you, but you roll to the side and of the way of her stab. You grab the end of the sword with your hands, and yank it. She doesn't let go, but comes stumbling towards you instead.

You yell as you rear your head back for a headbutt...

and that's when everything goes wrong.

Your short head misses her face completely... but the teeth in your open mouth line up just perfectly with her neck.

.

..

...

..

.

You pull your face away, and as you fall back to the floor, you see a thick spray of blood start pouring from the hole you just tore open. Green Shorts looks at you with stunned eyes as she drops her sword and clutches at her throat. Within seconds, the entire front of her hoodie is soaked with blood. She leans against the nearest wall, then slumps against it...

She's trying to breathe, but all that keeps coming out is a horrible squishy... choking sound... and blood.

Everyone's gone quiet.

...It was an accident, man...

Her friend screams so loud that it echoes down the hall.

"_**RAIN!**_"

You watch her tear off some of her skirt and press it against the wound try and stop the bleeding, but she's losing too much too fast.

Green Shorts' eyes are getting glassy. It doesn't seem like she's even really looking at anything...

Pink Shirt won't stop screaming and shaking her.

You look over towards Bad Vibes.

She changed back into herself when no one was looking. She reaches into her chest, and pulls out a tiny piece of... a core?

No, man. That ain't a core. It looks like it... but there's just somethin'... wrong about it.

She walks towards the other two... but she's got a funny look on her face that you've never seen before.

It scares you.

She kneels next to Green Shorts, and shoves the hand holding the core deep into her throat, tearing the wound even larger.

Pink Shirt screams even louder.

You see something **impossibly dark** start to rise out of her neck, like moving strings of black spaghetti.

They're pulsing like the veins on your arm.

You close your eyes, and once you hear the other sounds, you cover your ears with your hands.

Gotta find your chill

Gotta find your chill

Gotta find your chill

_ **Gotta find your chillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchillgottafindyourchill...** _

.

..

...

..

.

Something soft pokes you.

You open your eyes to see Green Shorts standing over you.

There's no blood on her clothes.

"Get up. We need to go."

You still haven't found your chill...

She grabs you roughly by the hand, and yanks you to your feet. You see Pink Shirt lying unconscious on the floor... next to another bloodied Green Shorts.

The hole in her neck is completely gone.

You look back up at the one in front of you.

"_**What did you do, man?!**_"

She raises a hand.

"She's fine. When they wake up, it'll just be like a bad dream."

She stares at you with cold eyes.

"And you're not going to tell anyone what happened; understand?"

You see something dark moving behind those eyes.

You can't speak.

She leans in, and you use her name for the first time since you've met her.

"Mick... you're scarin' me man..."

She gasps, and her eyes soften again. She moves away from you, and holds her head.

You can see her lips moving, but you can't tell what she's saying.

She takes a couple of breaths.

This time, she's speaking loud enough that you can hear her.

"My name is _**Rain Sicilienne**_, I was born in Sno-ah! "

She gasps, then shakes her head. She turns to you with a sweaty face. She looks frightened.

"...Tony? What was my name again?" Her voice sounds like the whiny one you remember instead of Green Shorts' voice.

"It's Mick, man. Mickayla."

She nods her head slowly as if she's deciding whether or not to trust you.

"...Yeah...okay. That sounds right. Let's go."

She starts to move out of lockup, and you slowly trail behind her. You really don't want to go anywhere with her... but you don't wanna know what she'll do to you if she gets mad.

You regret everything, man. _**You never should have let Bad Vibes outta that cell...**_

(Mickayla's sense of self is beginning to fragment, Belle has fainted due to **severe emotional and mental trauma**, and Rain has been **mortally wounded... though it appears that Mickayla was able to repair the physical damage... as far as you can tell. You are no longer able to change perspectives to any of the previously mentioned characters until further notice.**)

.

..

...

..

.

You are **Ark Valic**, and you have no idea why there's an alarm going off in the infirmary.

You just woke up after sleeping off a rough fight from yesterday, and you're still feeling a bit groggy. Probably just the painkillers.

You slide your legs over the side off the bed, and get up. You look down at the wound on your torso, and snort. Another one for the collection, you suppose. It doesn't hurt as bad as it did before, but you'll still need to avoid tearing the stitches.

You hear the voice of your wife calling out from behind you.

"Ark, I hate to rush you right after you just woke up, but I could really use your help right now!"

You turn around, and see Nile hunched over a computer screen. There's a boom microphone in front of it.

"What did I miss?"

She typing furiously right now, and replies in rapid, broken sentences. You haven't seen her this stressed in a very long time.

"Someone hacked into our systems. Power went out a few hours ago. Just came back on in some sectors. No idea who got it running again. Tate's outside calibrating the thrusters with Avi. We've only got a few minutes before we crash."

It takes a second before what she says fully sinks in. You curse loudly, then sigh.

"How long do we have?"

"...Seventeen minutes. There's one other thing... I can't reach Nyx. Her comm has been open for some time now, but there's no one there."

You place a hand on her shoulder, and squeeze.

"How can I help?"

"You can start by getting things under control on the ship!"

You look over at the monitor, and see Tate staring back at you with none of her usual playfulness. Behind her in the background is Avi. She's tinkering with a panel next to one of the ship's thrusters. She closes the panel, then gives you a thumbs up. Tate looks at her, then back to you with a roll of her eyes.

"We're almost done, but we'll be screwed if someone cuts the power again. Avi's gonna sweep the sectors, and I'm gonna head planet-side for Nyx once we finish up, but if you could get started ahead of us, that would be great."

"I'll get on it right now!"

You restore the rest of your soul clothes, and summon your anchor. Before you can leave the room, Nile grabs you by the waist and holds you tight. You can feel her hair against your back.

"Really guys?! You two wanna do this _**right now?!**_"

You ignore Tate in the background.

"Take some medical supplies with you, just in case. And Ark? Please be careful."

You want to say something to boost her spirits, but you can't find the words. You're far from home, and things aren't really looking good.

You settle for practical advice.

"Lock the door back down once I'm gone. Don't let anyone in. We don't know if that mimic broke out."

"...Alright."

She lets you go, and you grab several first-aid kits off the shelves. You exit the infirmary, and look over your shoulder before the doors close.

"I love you!"

You can't hear her over the sound of the doors closing, but you see her sadly mouth the words "I love you too" just before they shut.

.

..

...

..

.

You look around the hallway. It doesn't seem like anyone has been through this area recently...

You consider your options.

If someone has taken control of the ship, it might be a smart move to get to the server room and change the passwords to at least prevent it from happening again.

There's also the issue with the uninvited guest in the brig that Nile mentioned before you went to sleep. If there's really a Mimic on board, you want to check in and make sure that it's still under lock and key.

You might want to check the armory, or at the very least lock it down. If there's an intruder, you don't want them anywhere near the weapons.

It might be smart to check on the Tiny Oni enclosure. If the power went out, then that means the TV went out too. It might sound stupid, but you should probably turn it back on before doing anything else; the last thing you need are Tiny Oni rampaging through the ship.

You may also want to go to the crew quarters and rally any pengineers. You tough, but you'd be better off with someone watching your back.

What will you do? (Pick two.)

(Current Oxygen Timer 01:25:00)

[] Get to the server room and change the passwords - You can't risk another shutdown. (Twenty-five minutes)

**[X] Get to the brig, and assess the situation - Make sure your captive is still in one piece. (Fifteen minutes)**

[] Lock down the armory - Keep the weapons safe! (Fifteen minutes)

[] Go to the experiment room, and turn on the TV - You're screwed if the Tiny Oni's get out. (Forty minutes)

**[X] Go to the crew quarters and rally the pengineers - You need all the help you can get. (Forty minutes)**


	14. Arc 2: Part 11

You hang a right, and jog down the hallway. Getting the crew together first makes the most sense to you right now. There's strength in numbers, and keeping everyone together will only strengthen your odds of survival.

As you continue to make your way towards the crew quarters, the lights flicker for a moment, and the ship abruptly lurches forward. You brace yourself against the wall until the Tenebro rights itself again.

There's a brief hiss of static, and then you hear Nile's voice over the PA system.

"**Attention, all personnel. Attention, all personnel: There has been a severe security compromise, resulting in a power outage across the ship.**"

You breathe a sigh of relief. Tate and Avi must have done something to get the PA back on while they were adjusting the thrusters.

"**Ship thrusters, PA systems and all other integral systems have been restored... however, at our current descent speed, we will not be able to return to a safe altitude in time...**"

Oh no.

"**An emergency landing will commence in fifteen seconds; All hands, brace for impact! I repeat: All hands, brace for impact in thirteen...**"

You scramble towards the nearest window, and what you see makes your blood run cold.

There's a giant fissure in the ground large enough to swallow the entire ship.

"**Eleven.**"

And the Tenebro is just moments away from falling right in...

"**Ten.**"

You move away from the windows, and into the middle of the hallway.

"**Nine.**"

You slam your anchor into the floor, embedding it in the metal.

"**Eight.**"

You loop the chain underneath your belt, then attach the end link to the anchor shackle. The process takes four seconds.

"**...Three.**"

You dig your heels in...

"**Two.**"

You close your eyes...

"**One...!**"

_And pray for Nile's safety..._

"Brace for imp-"

The PA system cuts out abruptly as the Tenebro connects with the ground several kilometers away from the fissure. The impact violently throws your body upwards, but the anchor chain keeps you in place as various fixtures are tossed about the hallway. The ship groans and screeches as it skids across the surface.

The noise only seems to grow in intensity as the ships finally starts to slow down. The groaning fades, but you still feel the ship moving, which means...

You've just run out of road.

The hallway around you starts to tilt, then quickly pitches over until you're hit with a feeling of weightlessness before being thrown back against the wall as the Tenebro plummets farther into the divide. Moments pass suspended in mid-air before you hear a despairingly loud crunching sound.

The anchor chain jerks you again, and you slam headfirst into the floor.

You don't wake up for quite some time.

.

..

...

..

.

You awaken to a shot of pain in your forehead. You must have been knocked out during the crash...

**The crash!**

You dismiss the anchor, and quickly take stock of the situation. The lights are still on, which means that none of the damage is to any of the power systems. However, you have no clue if there's been any damage to the hull, but judging by all the scraping you heard earlier, you wouldn't be surprised if there were more than a few deep tears.

You take a walk towards the windows. It's dark, but your eyes have no trouble making out the strange rock formations in the distance.

At least, you think it's rocks, maybe not. The color reminds you of black leather, except broken up by elaborate bumps and ridges. You can see rows of statues with long, stretched out heads clustered together at the edge of your vision.

The entire cavern looks like something an animal might make. There's a word for what you're thinking of, but you can't remember what it is right now. Maybe Nile or Tate might know.

You turn away from the windows, but before you can start moving again, you hear something heavy crash against the side of the ship. You whirl back around and summon your anchor...

But you see nothing outside.

You hold still, and wait.

...It's faint, but you can just barely make out the sound of something crawling along the hull.

You slowly creep back towards the window, and peer outside.

One of those creepy statues you saw a moment ago is missing.

.

..

...

You curse loudly, then take off for the crew quarters.

It looks like you aren't alone down here.

(**Due to Tate and Avi's failure to fix the thrusters early enough to change course, the Tenebro has fallen into the fissure... and gained the attention of it's once dormant inhabitants. With the exception of Nyx, everyone is now in mortal danger.**)

.

..

...

..

.

You arrive at the crew quarters, and are relieved to find a large group of twelve pengineers huddled outside by the windows. Several of them have open gashes that you assume they received during the fall.

You clear your throat, and one of them looks towards you.

"Oh, Boss!"

The others look your way, then quickly gather around you. You take one of the medkits that you brought with you and hand it off to the pengineer closest to you. She takes it, and immediately starts tending to the wounded.

"No, Tate's your boss, I'm just standin' in for now. Is this everyone?"

Another one raises his hand, and speaks.

"Yeah... There was a call over the PA about ten minutes ago. Nile called for the security team to arm up, then gather by the docking bay. She said for everyone else to wait here."

You wince. You must've been knocked out longer than you thought...

"... so does anyone here have any fighting experience?"

"I'm sorry, but everyone here is from the science division!"

You curse, and one of them flinches in response.

Great... you're working with nerds, and cowards. Gonna have to make it work.

"Alright! I need everyone to line up so I can take a quick head count!"

The pengineers all stand to attention at the sound of your voice, and quickly do as you say.

Your final count comes up to a total of **thirteen people, including yourself**.

Okay, time to see if you can't put some fighting spirit into these chumps.

"Now I'm gonna you all two minutes to check your quarters, and get a weapon. I don't care what it is, as long as you can hurt something with it. _Go!_"

You wait as they scramble into their rooms. It takes them less than forty seconds to each come back with something that they feel comfortable with. Most come back with blunt objects; Crowbars, an aluminum bat, and a wooden sword to name a few.

You frown at the penguin who decided that a cardboard box would make a good weapon.

"And what exactly are you planning to do with that, genius?"

He replies back in a disturbingly gruff manner. He's clearly been smoking too much in his off time.

"_I figure if something does go down, I'll have a decent hiding place..._"

You smack him upside his head hard enough to leave an imprint.

"Quit screwing around and get something useful!"

"_Hrrrrrrrnnnnnggg..._"

He mutters something under his breath before going back into his room, and coming back out with a very sharp looking knife. You want to ask him why he didn't just bring that in the first place, but then you notice the smallest penguin in the group shaking like a leaf. She's holding a plunger.

You sigh, and are left completely at a loss for words.

"Any funny reason why you've got this?"

"I just started working here last week; I don't even have anything in my room yet..."

Your heart goes out to her. This is a crappy way to get started at a new job.

"...That's rough buddy. You just stick close, and we'll all get home safe."

"This is all too much... I'm just a scientist!"

She sniffles, and you can see the waterworks about to start. Some of the others are starting to get upset now...

You take her flipper in your hand. She looks back up, and you flash her a reassuring smile.

"Not today you aren't. Right now, you're a goon; all of you are. And goons _**ain't scared of nothin'!**_"

You turn to the rest of pengineers, who are all listening with awestruck eyes. You guess Tate never gives them pep talks. They're all starved for attention, and it's kind of sad.

"Am I right? We ain't scared of nothin', _**right?!**_"

"_**Yeah!**_" They reply as a single chorus. You like that.

"Damn straight! Now we're gonna head down to the brig, check things out, then move to the docking bay with everyone else. Everyone grab a buddy, we're moving out."

"Yes, ma'am!"

You walk back out of the crew quarters, thirteen heads strong.

(This group of pengineers seems largely timid... but with enough morale, they might be able to pull through for you in a pinch. You'll need to display smart thinking and strong leadership skills in order to keep them all in one piece.)

.

..

...

..

.

As you and your group of goons near the brig, you see two pengineers laying in the middle of the walkway. You quickly jog over and look them over for any wounds. They both look fine, although they both have large a bump on their heads. They're considerably sturdier looking than the others, so they're most likely from the security team.

But if they've been incapacitated, then that means...

"Everyone, to me, now!"

The goons all huddle around you. You point at your designated 'medbird' and she steps forward.

"Check the kits for some smelling salts, and get them back on their feet. You all wait here while I check the area."

You don't want to run the risk of exposing anyone to the mimic. You'll go it alone from here.

You reach the entrance the brig, and see a discarded keycard on the floor. You have full access to all levels of the Tenebro, so it's useless to you. Still, that's not something that you want to leave lying around, so you tuck it into your pockets. Your raise a hand to open the door with your handprint, but pause. You think you hear something hissing on the other side of the door.

You quietly place an ear to the door. You can hear something large moving around inside. The sounds suddenly cease.

.

..

...

Then you hear a loud, terrible screech on the other side before something slams into the doors. You can hear it moving towards the back of the brig to try and ram the door again. You wait two seconds, then quickly press the pad.

The door slides open, but before you can set up an ambush, something grabs you by the face, and drags you across the floor, scraping layers of skin off of your exposed arms and shoulders. It throws you against the wall at the far end of the hallway with a heavy thud, and you slide onto the floor in a daze.

You aren't hurt too bad, just winded. You struggle to pull yourself off of the floor, and when you look up, you are greeted by a bizarre creature staring you down just several feet away.

It stands at nearly seven feet, though it seems to walk hunched over to avoid hitting the ceiling. It's long tail seems to have a bladed segment at the end as well.

You have absolutely no idea what this thing is capable of. What you do know, is that it's quick, and mean.

The creature opens its mouth, and screeches.

You summon your anchor, and yell right back.

What will you do?

(Ark's Current Condition: Bruised.)

[] Observe, and counter - Keep your distance, see what it does, and strike out at any openings you see.

[] Incapacitate and run - Use maelstrom magic to hold the creature in place, and leave the area as quickly as possible.

[] Commence the beatdown - Throw everything that you have at it, and don't let up until it's dies, or runs away.

[] Call for backup - Cautiously bait it back towards where your goons are waiting, then gang up on it.

**[X] Write in. (Write in.) Try to befriend the creature by giving it the Emergency Chicken Tendies, you have always stored in your pockets. Woo and make love to the queen to gain her trust and hand in marriage, then threaten to divorce her, taking your new step-children with you, if she doesn't get you another functioning ship.**

(**Due to Tate's intervention, Nyx has been successfully recovered, and the oxygen timer is no longer a concern.**)

Before you can charge at the creature, you see something in the darkness behind it that catches your attention.

There's someone else in the brig, and she's slowly creeping towards the creature.

The two of you lock eyes, and her silent request is clear. Keep it focused on you.

.

..

...

You toss your anchor behind you, and reach into one of the medpacks; there should be rations in here.

The creature continues to slowly stalk towards you, hissing and snapping.

You start talking to fill the silence.

"Alright slim, you hungry? I think these packs come with chicken tenders... Yeah! Found em'!"

You pull out a pack of pre-cooked tenders, and wave it around. The creature's head seems to follow the direction you move it towards.

This is good. You slowly set the tendies down on the floor in front of you, and take several steps back. As it gets closer, it bends down to investigate the pack. It takes a sniff, then opens its mouth wide, revealing a second set of jaws that snap out with enough force to put a hole in the flooring.

Within seconds, the tendies have been utterly demolished.

Once it's finished, the creature looks back towards you, almost expectantly.

You shrug.

"Sorry pal, that's all I got!"

The creature screeches, forcing you to cover your ears. Behind it, you can see the woman getting closer. She's almost within striking distance, you just need to keep it busy a little while longer...

You raise your voice, and start ranting about the first thing that comes to mind.

"Oh? Is that how it's going to be?! You just wanna take everything for yourself, then whine when I can't provide for you?! No wonder out marriage never worked!"

The creature stands back up at nearly full height, and snarls. It seems to be agitated by your tone of voice. You keep talking.

"No, you can't change my mind now! The paperwork's already been signed, and I'm taking the kids, and there's _**nothing**_ you can do to change my mind!"

It screeches again, then makes to charge at you...

Just before it pounces, you grab the anchor behind you, and swing it hard into the creature's torso, sending it skidding across the floor.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

Before it can get up, the woman in the dark rushes forward, and drives her sword into the creature's skull. It spasms once before going slack.

You're impressed. It's a clean kill.

The woman tries to yank her sword out of the carcass, but all that comes back is the hilt, and a mess of melted steel that she quickly drops to the floor.

"_Merde!_"

You both watch as the sword hilt hisses, and continues to melt.

These things have freaking acid blood?!

You're glad you didn't try to beat this thing down; you would have been in for a nasty surprise if you tried to bite it...

You take a good look at the woman as she examines the creature. Judging from her blue hair, she's clearly Snowverian, and her clothes remind you of hunter's garments. The whole front half of her clothing is covered in dried up blood, but you can't smell any open wounds on her...

You'll worry about it later. She helped you fight this thing off, and that's good enough for you right now.

You offer your hand.

"Nice tag team, looks like I owe you one! Ark."

She eyes you warily, but shakes your hand firmly all the same. She turns back towards the brig, and points.

"...Rain. I have a friend inside that's unconscious; I don't want to leave her behind."

You nod.

"Yeah, give me a minute to get the rest of my crew, and I'll see what I can do."

.

..

...

..

.

You return to the brig with your goons. The two incapacitated pengineers from before have joined your group, bringing your head count to fifteen. Rain is still waiting for you with a worried expression.

"She's in the back."

You walk into the brig with her and your 'medbird'.

The woman lying in heap on the floor looks fine, save for some dried blood on her pink shirt.

You heft her onto your shoulder, and walk back out. You can worry about their apparent trespassing later. Right now, you need to find a safe place to muster, and figure out your next move.

As you walk back to the others, you turn to Rain.

"Alright, let's keep this short. Do you have any other weapons on you?"

"No. That thing destroyed my shield before you got here."

"How long were you fighting that thing for?"

Rain shrugs.

"Probably ten minutes? It kept trying to drag Belle into the vents..."

You look at her incredulously. She must be pretty tough...

Wait. Did she say Belle?

You sigh, both in relief, and exasperation. It looks like Nile's star designer made it after all...

You take a moment to consider your options.

Assuming that there are more of these things on the way, you're completely at a disadvantage.

They're sturdy, and can hurt you badly if they bleed on you. You and your goons are going to need better weaponry if you plan on taking the fight to these things. Maybe there's something in the armory you can use?

You look back at the carcass. It might take some time, but maybe you should bring this back to Nile in the infirmary. You can regroup, restock supplies (tendies apparently seem to work well as a distraction) and possibly learn more about what these things are. It also wouldn't hurt to figure out just how these two got here.

You could also continue with the original plan, and meet up with the others at the docking bay... assuming that everyone is still there. If you had to guess, they're probably keeping the area secure while repairs are being made to the hull of the ship, you won't know for sure until you get there.

...You nearly forgot about the mimic. You can't leave it running around the ship, especially with these creatures; you'd hate to imagine what might happen if it completely absorbed one... It may be a more prudent idea to send Rain and Belle to the infirmary with an escort, and continue your search for the mimic with a smaller group of goons.

What will you do?

[] Split the party in half- Send Rain, Belle, and several of the pengineers back to the infirmary, while you continue hunting the mimic with five other goons.

**[X] Take the carcass back to Nile for study, restock supplies, and then bring her up to speed on what's happening - You might be able to learn a weakness, and Belle may be able to assist Nile once she wakes up.**

[] Get to the armory - You need everyone armed with more than blunt weapons if you're going to survive.

[] Go to the docking bay and join up with the security team. - If something important is happening down there, you need to know about it.

(Choose a perspective as well.)

[] Ark

[] Rain

[] Tate

[] Nyx

**[X] Cache**


	15. Arc 2: Part 12

You grab the tail of the creature, and start to haul it forward. Rain looks at you with a questioning glance, and you explain.

"I'm takin' this thing back with us. The infirmary's got scanners, I want to know what makes it tick... you're comin' with us in the meantime."

Rain narrows her eyes, but nods in agreement.

"That would be the sensible thing to do, yes."

You continue on in silence. All the while, the goons are stare at the two of you like you're the hottest thing since sliced bread. It's a little embarrassing.

You turn around, and look at the creature you're currently pulling across the ship. Since the floor is still in one piece, you can safely assume that the acidity of their blood dies down when they're killed.

That works for you.

You come to a stop as one of the creature's long fingers gets caught on a floor grate. You turn to Rain.

"...Can you give me a hand with this?"

.

..

...

..

.

After what feels like forever, you finally arrive at the infirmary. You attempt to open the door, but it's still locked from the inside. You bang against the door, and call out to Nile.

"Hey Nile? It's me. Can you open the door please?"

Above your head, you can hear the sound of a camera swiveling on its fixture. She must've gotten them working again while you were gone.

You look up, wave to the camera, then gesture at the carcass that you've been dragging for the last several minutes.

The limp form of Belle draped over your shoulder speaks for itself.

You hear a loud beep, and then the door opens. Nile is ready and waiting with a stretcher. She opens her mouth to say something, but then she catches sight of Rain, and pauses. She regards her with a heavy glare before exhaling loudly through her nose.

"Ark, put her on the stretcher, then take that... _thing_ to one of the isolation chambers. We can start a structural analysis on it while we have a talk with your new 'friend' over there. The rest of you can rest up until told otherwise."

You wince, and gently place Belle on top of the stretcher. Nile wheels it past you without a word. Rain casts a worried glance your way, but you shake your head, then jerk your thumb in the direction Nile went in.

She might not be able to tell, but it's clear to you that something's made Nile absolutely furious. You don't want to make her any madder than she already is.

"Please do as she says, for both of our sakes."

Rain doesn't reply, but slowly trails after Nile... leaving you to deal with the task of hauling the creature again.

"Oh, _come on!_"

You slowly drag it towards the nearest isolation chamber, and stuff it inside. The hardest part is getting back out once you've gotten it in. By the time you've managed to squeeze out and start the scanning sequence, everyone's already made themselves comfortable around the infirmary. Most of the goons are talking amongst themselves, save for 'Plunger' and the other, gruffer penguin with the knife and the deep cigarette voice.

You think you'll just call him 'Cigs'. That's easy enough to remember. The two of them seem to be having a rather animated discussion. Whatever it is they're talking about, it's got Plunger hanging off of his every word.

You shrug. You've seen stranger friendships bloom on the battlefield before; good for them.

You look towards Belle. Nile's just finished hooking her up to an IV drip, and is currently hunched over a small monitor on top of a rolling table. Rain is standing right beside her friend. Her face is neutral, but she's wringing her hands together out of stress. You move closer, then stand next to Nile as she looks back at Rain.

"So, I believe that proper introductions are in order: My name is Nile Foras. You've already met my Wife, Ark."

You raise your hand as a greeting, then quickly put it back down when you see the less than pleased side-eye that Nile gives you.

Geez... You'd rather go back outside and deal with the things at this point...

"And you're Rain Sicilienne."

Rain narrows her eyes again, and you wonder if she's even capable of more than just being upset all the time.

"How do you-"

"It doesn't matter how I know," Nile cuts her off sharply with a flick of her hand. "What matters, are your actions against my crew during your time aboard my ship."

"What are you talking abo-"

Nile slams an open palm against the tray in front of her. The sound is so loud that everyone in the room flinches and looks in her direction.

"_Not another word from you until I say so. Look._"

She taps a finger on the monitor, and the screen projects onto the wall.

You see Rain and Belle in the server room; the latter waves something at the main server before the feed cuts out immediately afterwards.

...

Oh, isn't this rich... They're the ones that killed the power!

"Once the power came back on, I started going through the few security camera logs that weren't wiped during the outage, and came across this... I don't even want to know what you two were doing snooping aboard this ship, but what I need to understand is what possessed you to do something as irresponsibly _**stupid**_ as shutting down the power on a ship large enough to _**destroy a small city if it crashed?**_"

Rain balls her hands into tight fists at her sides, and looks towards the ground. Nile grabs her roughly by the chin, and forces her gaze back to her.

"_Look at me, and answer my question._"

Rain quietly whispers.

"I... We didn't know where we were or what your people wanted. We were only thinking about our survival."

Nile shakes her head, then taps the monitor again. You see a recording of a pengineer in the docking bay taken moments before the crash.

You recognize her. That's Qaz, she's a hard worker.

She's trying to fasten down several cables to a set of steel girders. The impact hits, and you see one of the cables snap loose with her standing directly in front of it.

**Damn it...**

You look away from the screen; you already have an idea of what happens next; you don't need to see it. When you look again, the feed has cut back to a current shot of a random hallway.

Rain's face is neutral again, but you can see her eyes starting to water.

Nile decides to twist the knife in deeper. You have zero interest in making her stop.

"Her name was Qaz, and she worked as a laborer for us to help support her wife and five children. Those girders could have easily pierced the critical points of our hull and stranded us here. When everyone else evacuated, she stayed behind to make sure everything was secured. She died making sure we would all have a chance to make it back home."

Nile's voice takes on an accusatory tone. Rain's starting to sniffle now.

"The worst part of this tragedy isn't even that you've irrevocably ruined the lives of an entire family... it's that all of this could have been prevented with just an ounce of reasoning on your part. The worst we would have done, is question you, then send you home. Now? I've got one dead crew member that I know of, countless others unaccounted for, and a potential contagion situation... And who knows how many more needless deaths might happen before we're safely out of danger?"

Rain's crying in earnest now. She's clenching her teeth, and trying to fight it, but it's only making her sobs even louder.

Nile is completely unsympathetic as she jabs a finger into Rain's chest.

"If we make it out of this alive... _I'm personally holding the two of you responsible for everything that's happened here._"

You finally decide to cut in.

"Look, I definitely wanna weigh in on this, but now really ain't the time for this conversation. We can play the blame game after we're off this freaking rock. Sound good?"

Nile looks like she still wants to press the issue. You don't blame her, but you need to put a focus on survival. You put a hand on her waist, and pull her close.

"Look... we'll deal this later, okay? Right now, we all need to pull our weight."

Nile sighs. She pulls your arm off of her, then moves back towards Rain. She's still crying, though it's not as hard.

"I'm still working on getting a structural analysis complete; it'll probably be another thirty minutes before it's done. In the meantime, you can help us by-"

She stops herself midsentence as the feed cycles back to a live shot of the docking bay. You all look towards it, and see Avi and several members of the security team accompanied by a Tiny Oni... and _Rain?_

You look back to Nile, and the both of you look back to the Rain in front of you.

You forgot about the large amount of blood on her clothes...

"**Ark.** The phase and element scanners aren't back online yet." There's urgency in Nile's voice.

Rain takes a step back, but the goons have been watching this exchange the entire time, and have mobilized to block the way out.

You try to keep your voice as calm as possible.

"Alright. You're not in any trouble, but I'm gonna need to put you in an isolation chamber for now. At least until we can figure something out."

You take a step closer, and you can see her feet shift to a fighting stance. She glares at you.

"Stay away from me. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I am not staying here to wait for my death!"

"No one's dying on my watch! We just... need to make sure of something."

Nile moves towards her from the left, and speaks in a slow, measured tone.

"Rain... I want you to try and think for a moment: are there any... gaps in your memory? Maybe something that you remember, but feels out of place for some reason?"

Rain looks extremely confused for a moment, but her expression changes to discomfort. She scrunches up her brow, and puts a hand to her head.

Something's wrong. She must realize it too.

"I... remember agh... I remember seeing Nyx a few days ago, and telling her that she looked like crap for some reason..."

...You don't really see an issue with that. Nyx always looks like crap as far as you're concerned.

Rain continues on, and what she says gives you cause for concern.

"But that can't be right. I haven't seen her in months... I don't even talk to he- Ah!"

She clutches at her head in pain, and you share another look with Nile.

The mimic must have attacked them at some point, but that still doesn't explain all of the blood.

You're going to need to lock her up, just to be safe.

Rain sees your arm twitch towards her, and she bounds for the door as fast as she can. One of the larger goons tackles her from the side, and you quickly jump into the fray.

Between the screaming and kicking, it takes three of you just to get her onto the ground.

If the circumstances were different, you'd be impressed by just how tough she is.

Right now though? It's just making you mad.

"Just listen to us for a one second, kid!"

"Get off! Lâche-moi! **Lâche-moi!**"

"I said **listen!**"

You slam her shoulder first into the floor, but that only makes her struggle even harder.

The sound of a bloodcurdling scream takes all of you by surprise, and you all look up towards the direction that it came from.

You see Belle sitting up on the stretcher. The commotion must have woken her up.

She's pointing at the windows.

You all turn your heads.

And then you see it.

"...Everyone, _stare it down._ Stay still, but **don't look away.**"

You say the words as quietly as you can.

The creature stares back at you from the other side of the glass. It's lips are peeled back in a snarl, and as it's screech echoes outside, you hear several others join in the distance.

You all watch as it slowly climbs past the windows until it's completely gone.

You breathe a sigh of relief. What if Nile had still been here by herself? You know she can take care of herself just fine, but...

No. You won't entertain the possibility of anything happening to her.

Your grip on Rain's arm loosens, and she breaks free. Without a moment's hesitation, she rushes over to Belle's side, and grabs her by both shoulders.

"Are you alright?"

You watch as Belle looks towards Rain with a look of abject horror. Her eyes go wide, and you can see the scream building up in her throat.

You aren't close enough to clamp a hand over her mouth, but thankfully, Rain has enough sense of the situation at hand to do it herself. Belle starts to thrash in every direction, desperately trying to get away from her. She pulls the IV out of her arm, and starts to kick her feet.

Rain looks towards you pleadingly.

"Don't just stand there, _**help me!**_"

Nile and the goons come out of their shock first, and move to restrain her. You quickly move in, and hold her down by the shoulders, blocking Rain from her line of sight.

That actually seems to calm her down enough, that she's not struggling anymore. She's whimpering behind Rain's hand, and tears are streaming down her eyes.

Poor thing looks absolutely terrified...

"Listen, I'm gonna take her hand off of you, but I need you to promise me that you won't scream, alright?"

She screws her eyes shut, and nods.

"Let her go."

Rain removes her hand, and everyone else lets go as well. Belle is true to her promise, and stays quiet. She looks back towards Rain, then down at her bloodstained clothes.

"_...Rain?_"

Her face starts to scrunch up, and then she starts to cry while shaking her head sideways.

"This can't be real... How are you even alive right now?"

Rain puts a voice to the question you're about to ask.

"What are you talking about?"

"...You don't remember? You _died_, Rain!"

She starts crying even harder, and hugs herself tight.

"_...I watched it_ _happeeeennnnnnn~_"

Her voice breaks into a quiet whine, and she's inconsolable at this point.

Rain backs away, and you watch her run a hand along her neck. She shakes her head, then turns to you.

"...We can't stay here much longer. That thing is either going to try to find a way in, or come back with reinforcements. Possibly both."

You look back towards Nile. She clearly doesn't want to Rain to travel with your group, but is willing to defer to your judgment.

You're a firm believer in tit for tat; Rain helped you out of a bad spot, so it's only fair that you do the same for now.

Anything that happens after this, is fair game.

"She's right. Grab everything that isn't nailed down, and get ready to move! We'll move to the armory, gear up, and then meet everyone at the docking bay!"

The goons all start grabbing the remaining medpacks. You turn back towards Nile, who looks extremely sour right now.

"You're mad at me for siding with the kid, aren't you?"

"...I'm mad at a lot of different things right now, but you're not one of them. Just be careful, especially around her."

She points a finger at Rain, as the latter helps a distraught Belle back to her feet.

You have to ask.

"Did you... y'know... see _something?_"

Nile says nothing, but gives you a fierce hug.

"Nothing that you can't handle. Just, keep an eye out."

You know what she's doing... She always does this whenever she wants to keep you from worrying about something.

You hate that it works every time.

You return the hug, then let go. Belle seems to have composed herself for the moment, and now it looks like everyone's ready to move. You may not have been able to learn anything about the creature like you wanted, but at least now, you can keep an eye on Nile as you move about the ship.

It's a huge load off of your mind, to say the least.

You turn towards everyone.

"Alright, everyone set?"

"**Yes ma'am!**"

"Good! Let's go get some weapons!"

(**Ark, Nile, and Belle are no longer in mortal danger.**)

.

..

...

..

.

You are <strike>Leigh Huluna</strike> **Cache Monet**, and you're never going back to the Den again, if you can help it.

Eve approached you and Patch a while ago about a goodwill concert to celebrate ending the lockdown of the Den. You were initially quite happy at the idea of getting to play for a Mogwai crowd, and the Queen was certainly enthusiastic about it, but...

You've played at some tough crowds... but this was easily the worst gig you've ever done. It didn't help that there was absolutely no coordination between you and Patch... All that planning, just to have to deal with three hours of boos and (literal) hissing, followed by nightmares at customs, and a lost mask.

You're still really, really mad about that, but Ad Hoc already agreed help you make another one.

The moment you and Patch got back to your building, she left without so much as a goodbye.

...She really doesn't seem to care much for you. Did the volume of your parties create that big of a grudge?

You've been standing outside in the hall with your suitcase for about two minutes now, just stewing. You should probably call Eve, and tell her that the trip was a bust, but you remember her telling you that she was going to be busy working. Maybe you'll go and visit her at the shop when you get a chance.

You look at your front door. Then reach for your keys. You can worry about all of that later. For now? Sleep calls.

You open the door, and step inside with your luggage.

You're surprised to see Ven and Ad Hoc sitting hunched over your laptop.

"I'm telling you the tracker is not on Solum anymore."

"And I'm telling you, there's no way a Tiny Oni was able to jack a space ship, and jump lightyears away in just a few hours. That thing's buggy!"

"Well, you're the one that gave it to me in the first place..."

It's rare that these two are ever in the same room as one another, and even rarer that they're bickering amongst each other. They usually get along very well.

Maybe you should step in.

On the other hand... you're really tired right now. Maybe you should just go straight to bed, and let them finish talking about... whatever it is they're talking about?

選り出す.

[] Go to bed - you're too tired and stressed to deal with anyone right now. (Switch perspectives to Nyx, Tate, or Mickayla.)

**[X] Say hello, and ask what's going on. - Ven is pretty hands off most of the time. Maybe something's wrong? (Pick a number: 4)**


	16. Arc 2: Part 13

Your curiosity outweighs your need for sleep, so you quietly slip next to the two of them as they continue to bicker in front of your laptop.

"...Hello."

Both Ven and Ad Hoc flinch in surprise when they notice your presence; the latter actually drops their shades on the floor. You're grateful that your small face mask hides your grin.

Ven is the first to recover, and smiles weakly at you. Yeah, something's definitely up.

"Oh, Leigh! Good to see you!"

You inwardly cringe at the use of your actual name, but you don't bother correcting her. Ven is one of the few people that can get away with using it.

"You're home a day early."

You sigh.

"The festival didn't go too well... We wound up packing it in a day early."

Ad Hoc readjusts their glasses, then chimes in. You notice that they shut the laptop before addressing you.

"A total bust, huh? Don't sweat it too hard, they're just not ready for such a big move yet! You still plan on throwing your comeback party?"

"I don't know..."

You really don't. The last few days have been demoralizing for you as a musician. That, and you are not about to perform without your stage mask. That's not up for debate.

As you mull over the loss, you remember something important.

"I nearly forgot. I still need to dust off my VHS player for your friend, Ven. But never mind that, how have you been? It's been a long time since all three of us have been in the same room together."

Ven's smile becomes a little more genuine, and Ad Hoc nods in agreement. You think they both miss the days when the three of you would party away without a care in the world. That was back before you started to make a name for yourself; things were much simpler back then...

Ven reopens the laptop despite a glancing frown from Ad Hoc, then addresses you.

"Well, you know how Tony likes to wander off on his own sometimes?"

You nod, and chuckle. You were initially very leery when Ven first told you about him, but then you actually got to meet him for yourself. He's rude and crude, but it's hard not to like him in spite of his flaws. He's also really popular at your parties; you'd swear that boy must have been a dancehall king in a past life... He's got some _really_ slick moves.

"I sent a friend of mine to fetch him, but I haven't heard back from either one of them since yesterday. When I checked my tracker this morning, I noticed something rather... concerning."

Ad Hoc shakes their head.

"I'm sure it's just a glitch, Ven."

"Then surely you won't mind if my Conjurer takes a look?"

Despite the politeness of Ven's words, there's none of her usual levity anymore. She beckons you closer to the laptop screen, and on it, you see a grid filled with clusters of light in all shapes and sizes. Ven clicks the touch pad on a cluster, and it zooms in to reveal an entire solar system that you don't recognize, with a big red arrow pointing to a small moon.

"Is this... a galaxy map?"

Ven nods.

"Yes. I've tried resetting the software, but the tracker consistently places his location here on this moon."

She looks very worried.

"...Is there anything I can do to help?"

You feel silly asking, but you do so all the same.

Ad Hoc however, is pretty quick to call you out on it.

"Unless you have a spaceship in your closet, then probably not."

Both you and Ven give Ad Hoc a meaningful look.

"Okay... that's a fair point, but come on! Mine's personal sized; I couldn't fit either one of you in there even if I wanted to."

"Which you don't." Ven's starting to get unusually hostile now, but Ad Hoc takes it in stride.

"You know it's nothing personal. The rest of the galaxy is still pretty iffy about Solumites leaving the system."

"In anything other than a cage you mean! "

Ad Hoc reels back as if slapped, and you can't stay silent at that remark.

"Ven! That was completely uncalled for! Why are you acting like this?"

She seems to calm down, and gives the both of you an apologetic look. Her ears even droop underneath her cap as she talks.

"I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. I just... I'm really worried about them."

Ad Hoc nods, and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"I didn't realize it meant so much to you. My bad for blowing you off like that before. Do you want me to make some calls? See if anyone's seen anything crazy in the sector?"

The two begin to talk again, and you find yourself drawn to the chart again. You see a long series of coordinates at the bottom of the screen. It's actually not that dissimilar to the signal booster that Ad Hoc had given you for your receiver last birthday. You initially used it to try and pick up intergalactic radio stations, but quickly got bored with it when all you could find were trucker frequencies, an Epsilonian talk show, and one music station that played nothing but shoegaze.

It might be a long shot, but maybe...

As the two go back to talking, you move over to your DJ booth, put on your headphones, and input the coordinates into the receiver.

.

..

...

It's faint, but you can hear a female voice amidst the static. You gasp out loud, and both of your friends look towards you.

"Come here quick, I think I've found something!"

Ven and Ad Hoc crowd by the speakers, and you unplug your headphones, and turn up the volume...

_"...ro... I repeat, this is First Officer Tate Astaroth of the H.M.S. Tenebro broadcasting on all open channels. We've been sabotaged by an unknown assailant, and have crashed landed on a moon in Xothian territory while underway on an Epsilonian sanctioned mission. Repairs are almost com... aw, crap. hold on a second..."_

You hear the sound of something igniting, and some sort of... something screeching out on the other side. The sound is so terrifying that you have to turn down the volume. There's more sounds like a scuffle, followed by a swooshing noise that reminds you of your homemade aerosol flamethrowers. There's several more screeches, and you hear something clambering away until it can't be heard again over the radio.

_"Yeaaaaah, you'd better run! Like I was saying. Repairs are nearly complete, but our ship has been overrun by an unknown hostile species. I haven't been back inside for a while, but I've been keeping them busy outside with a noise maker. I've been taking turns luring them in and picking them off with our specimen collector, but we're starting to reach our limit... Requesting assistance, preferably fire support, from anyone in the area. We have one crew member confirmed dead, and at least seventeen injured... maybe more. Anyone willing to render assistance, be warned... These things are nasty. Their skin is tough, so unless you're strong enough to break down metal doors, physical attacks won't cut it..."_

You hear another voice cut in. One that you recognize.

_"T-Tell them about the acid blood."_

_"I'm getting to that, Nyx! Geez..."_

All three of you exclaim at once.

"Nyx?!"

You listen as Tate continues.

_"Like she said, they've got acid for blood, don't ask me how that works. If there are any Mogs listening, be careful. I got tagged a couple of times with it and came away with a couple of second-degree burns on my arms. I have a toxin affinity, so if this stuff can do this much damage, it's safe to assume that others with a different affinity might not get so lucky..."_

_"Tate! They're c-c-coming back!"_

You hear more screeching in the background, followed by a resigned sigh.

_"The time as of recording this message is twenty-seven thirteen galactic standard time. I'm leaving this transmission on loop in hopes that it will reach someone. Please, send help as soon as possible. We'll hold out for as long as we can. First officer Astaroth... signing off."_

You hear Nyx roar out in the background before the static cuts back in, and the message repeats from the beginning.

No one says anything for a long time. You have so many questions. How were Mogs from Solum able to leave the planet without anyone noticing? What was that about an Epsilonian sanctioned mission?

Ad Hoc eventually break the silence.

"Twenty-seven thirteen... That would mean this message was recorded two hours ago."

You quickly find your voice.

"We need to tell Eve."

Ad Hoc shakes their head.

"Don't think that's gonna do much good. I think the best thing to do right now, would be to pass this recording along to the authorities. Sorry guys, but I gotta take it from here."

Ad Hoc goes into the closet, most likely to make a private call. Ven's wearing a grave look that really doesn't suit her. She notices you staring, and tries to smile, but fails after a couple of seconds.

"...Leigh? Can you do me a favor? I know you're tired, but would you mind coming with me somewhere for a couple of hours?"

You nod vigorously. Ven never asks for anything from you, so you're more than eager to help.

"Of course I don't mind. What do you need?"

"Nothing strenuous... I'm going to see if I can't get some outside help to take care of this, but the person in question is... disagreeable at best, and I could use the emotional support."

You find yourself more than a little surprised, but agree to come anyway. Ven is always so calm and collected, who in the world could actually get under her skin?

.

..

...

..

.

You are **Yorshk Voso, A.K.A Doctor Fleur Ose**, and you are quite pleased with yourself right now. You've managed to clear up your patient case load, reorganize your desk, frame your doctorate, and make a bit of headway in Io's case all in the same day. She definitely seems to do best with the proper motivators, though you never expected her to ever develop any interest in learning sign language the way that she has seemingly overnight.

But none of that matters right now. What does matter, is that right now, **Wake Forneus** is on your examination table, wearing nothing but a hospital gown one size too small lifted up past her waist.

You're currently stitching up a very nasty looking bite wound on her hip, and no, you're not helping yourself to a good long look. That would be absolutely unprofessional. Rather than go for anesthesia, she's drinking a bottle of hard liquor. You tug a little hard through a thick patch of skin, and she curses, slamming the bottle on the headrest of the table.

"_**Arrrgh!**_ Can't ye be a little more gentle?!"

You pull the next one through, and she hisses, clenching her abdominal muscles as she does so.

Sometimes, life is kind to you.

"You'll be fine, you have Captain Murasa's spiced rum to keep you company."

"Keep talkin' like that, and I'll make sure to leave ye none."

You laugh, and finish closing everything up. You pat the wound down with some more antiseptics, then slide over on your wheeled chair towards your desk. As you grab your prescription pad, you mock her in a playful voice.

"Oh no, this Kraken in my office won't offer me any of her sewer water! Whatever shall I do?"

Wake laughs in earnest, and you join in as you write her a prescription for painkillers.

When the both of you stop laughing, she stares at you with a happy expression.

It makes your core skip a pulse.

"Yer awfully chipper since the last time I seen ye. How long has it been? Two years now?"

"Just about. And rest assured, I'm only in this good of a mood right now because you're here; it's been a long time since I've seen a friendly face, Wake."

"If I'd have known ye were the head doc around here, I would've visited sooner!"

She takes another swig of her rum, and her face grows serious.

"I didn't want to say anything, but you know I gotta ask... What's with the shock collar?"

You run a hand along the hard metal chained to your neck, and scowl. When the Queen brokered the deal with Harbei Hospital, you're pretty sure she was just happy to be rid of you, and didn't bother to read the fine print. Given that the hospital's administrator is the only one aware of who you really are (as well as the breadth of your "crimes against humanity") one of her written stipulations was for you to be outfitted with the device to protect the staff from any instances of "non-compliance".

Which is fair, you likely would kill her if given the chance. Doubly so, now that you've seen their true colors.

What started off as a decent arrangement quickly spiraled downhill as the workloads increased, and once word of your skill spread, human patients began to seek you out. You initially resisted the change, but your first taste of the collar's highest setting quickly changed your mind.

After that, you noticed that your Mogwai patients were placed lower in the queue than your human ones. Dryads with cracked stumps would be made to wait for days on end in favor of human patients with stubbed toes and bigger wallets. You've essentially become nothing more than a well payed slave at this point.

And people wonder why you are the way that you are.

Despite the hardships, the money has allowed you to help fund your personal projects much faster than being a General ever did. The irony isn't lost on you.

You're still in dire need of an assistant. Frey has been an invaluable help as your head gardener, and Quinn's been just as great as your receptionist, but you need all the help that you can get...

You push those thoughts away, and try to find a convincing lie to tell Wake.

"It's just for show. Make the humans downstairs think I'm some super dangerous Mog that only gets released from her prison to save lives before being sent back to her cell until the next patient comes."

You say it with enough of a straight face that she seems to buy it. The best lies always have a degree of truth to them.

"...Yar. Weird flex, but okay! Just glad to know yer' doin well!"

"No, thank yo-"

Before you can finish your sentence, you hear a knock at the door, followed by Ven's voice.

"Doctor Ose? It's me. Do you have a moment? It's an urgent matter."

The last remnants of your good mood leave you immediately. You groan, and open the door.

.

..

...

Dealing with Ven is one thing, but a _human?_

_ **In your medical wing?** _

You're positively seething.

The human girl seems to pick up on your intent, and quickly slides behind Ven, who takes one of her hands into her own.

"Ah, this is my Conjurer, Cache. She's also one of Eve's friends as well. I asked her to come with me here, as she's made a discovery that I think you'll find relevant to our shared interests."

You narrow your eyes at the both of them. Cache instantly looks away, while Ven just looks unimpressed.

You have no idea what Ven wants with you right now, but in all the years that you've known her, she's never comes to you without just cause.

"You look busy. Maybe I should bring the issue up with Luca instead?"

"Don't you dare!"

You have no idea what it is that she's talking about, but you refuse to let Ven drag that snake into this... Whatever "this" may be...

"Are you going to let us in?"

She's forcing your hand. Sly fox...

Behind you, Wake gets up from the table, and peeks through the door behind you.

"Friends of yer's? Didn't think you'd make a human pal Yorshk, good on ye!"

You are quickly reaching the height of your patience.

[] Agree to speak to Ven, alone - Make the Conjurer leave, you're not compromising your stance over what she has to say.

**[X] Let them in, and speak to Ven with everyone present - You're past caring at this point... and you really like having Wake around. Whatever she has to say, she can say it in front of her too.**

[] Attack Ven's Conjurer - You won't kill her, just maybe snap a limb or two. No Humans. **Ever.**

[] Ask Wake to leave, then talk to Ven with her Conjurer present - Dealing with Ven on her terms may be the best move in the long term. You'll listen, then decide from there.

You pinch the bridge of your nose. You can feel a headache coming on.

Before you can correct Wake, she moves next to you and pulls both Cache and Ven into the room with her burly arms. She sets them both down on the table she was sitting on only moments ago. She's clearly excited at the prospect of meeting your "friends".

Ven's clearly thrown off guard by the presence of Wake, and you decide to step back and let your friend prod her for information.

"So how long have ye known Yorshk?"

"Oh... It's been so long, I can hardly remember!"

"Oh really? Well how come I've never heard her talk about ye then, hmmm?"

"...That's kind of private."

Wakes raises an eyebrow with an exaggerated "Hrrrm!" sound. You'd forgotten just how animated she can be whenever she's excited about something. It's cute. As she continues to grill Ven, Cache looks at your shelves curiously.

She looks towards your cassette tape collection at the very top with a vested interest. She points to your most recent purchase (Cache Monet's Latest EP: Crystallization Theory), and looks to you with reddened cheeks.

"I didn't realize you were a fan."

Both Wake and Ven look at you with surprise. You're still trying to figure out what the issue is. Cache reaches up, and grabs the tape, and looks it over. She’s smiling underneath that medical mask, and it irritates you.

"Number six out of five-hundred, all sold out in thirty minutes... And you even opened the case to actually listen to it instead of just trying to sell it online!"

She sounds like she's on the verge of tears.

"Would you like me to sign this for you?"

...Wait.

You grab one of the other tapes off of the shelf; it's the one with Cache Monet's face on the front. You hold it up next to her for a side by side comparison.

.

..

...

**Cache Monet is a human!?**

You thought she was some sort of insect Mogwai, but on closer inspection, you realize that it's just an elaborate mask....

You feel a conflicting set of emotions. Part of you wants to throw out your entire collection out... but the other half really wants her to sign it instead.

Ven chimes in before you can say anything.

"I think she'd really love that, Cache."

"Buh!?"

You're so flustered, that you can't even speak right. You feel your face getting hot, and Cache's own blush grows in response.

"If you don't mind... I'd really like to know what you think of the lyrics to Straining Path. What was _your_ interpretation?"

Against your better judgment, you give her a straight answer.

"I saw it as a take on wanting to change the world around you for the better, but being fought every step of the way by a society that thinks your ideals are crazy. The frustration in the words... they speak to me on a very personal level."

Cache stares at you with widening eyes, and grabs you by the hand excitedly. You can't help but notice that her fingers are extremely calloused.

"You... you actually _**get**_ it! You understand what I'm trying to say!"

You're about to ask her what she means, but she speaks again before you can get a word in.

"The establishment needs to be destroyed! We can't progress forward as a people until we wake up and see that we're being used by greedy corporations!"

...What?

Out of the corner of your vision, you see Ven smack a palm against her face, and shake her head. Cache looks at you, expecting some sort of affirmation.

Great. She's one of _"those"_ people...

"...I see."

Cache's face falls, and she quickly (and thankfully...) lets go of you, while muttering disappointedly.

"Never mind. Forget I said anything..."

As she moves next to Ven and sulks, you make a mental note to toss out your entire collection at a later date. It's bad enough that she's human, but now you're outright embarrassed for Ven. Why she willingly pacted herself to this crackpot is beyond you.

You've had enough distractions.

"Ven, why did you come here?"

She looks towards Wake, then back to you.

"Maybe I should come back later."

"There's no need. Wake is the most trustworthy person I know. Anything that you need to say to me, you can say in front of her; it won't leave this room."

Ven and Cache share a look, then the former locks your office door while the latter pulls a laptop out from the folds of her hoodie.

"I have reason to believe that a mutual acquaintance ours may be in need of assistance. Doctor, according to your knowledge, are there any space faring vessels left on Solum?"

Wake answers before you can.

"Only a few. The Queen had em' all scrapped after the second war. Ye have to be a real big shot, _and_ have her permission to even own one."

"I see. That's makes this even more concerning. My Conjurer picked up a distress signal a few systems away. It's rather unsettling."

Cache presses a button on the laptop, and the speakers pop to life with static, followed by a dire sounding recording. You listen to it in silence, recoiling when you hear Nyx in the background.

The recording finishes, and you're left with a number of questions.

You address the most pressing one.

"How recent is this recording?"

"Probably sent about three hours ago."

"Arrrrrgh! **I knew it!**"

Everyone in the room jumps from Wake's exclamation. She slams a fist on your examination table, putting a dent in it.

"I knew they were hiding something! Those lying wenches!"

"Wake, calm yourself before you open up those stitches. What are you talking about?"

Wake takes a deep breath, and sighs. She actually looks quite distressed.

"My boss and her friend went missing at the museum last night, so I went with Pichael an' the others this morning. Tate's a runt of a Bakunawa, and the lass that runs the place? She's Ark's wife. They were in a rush to make us leave... Got this for my trouble before Pichael broke it up."

She points towards the bite marks with a frown. Ven winces at the wound, then looks back towards you.

"I'll be honest, I came to you first because I'm not suited to tackling this sort of danger. I could really use your help, Doctor."

"Why would I care about what happens to them? Wake's feud with Ark is none of my concern, and I have no interest in what a couple of-"

Ven waves her hand dismissively, and cuts you off.

"Please don't act like you don't care what happens; I know you better than that. And like I said before, we both have a mutual acquaintance caught up in this."

You snort, then place a hand on your hips.

"That's awfully vague. We both know a lot of the same people; can you be a bit more specific?"

Ven copies your gesture, and then your words.

"Can you be a bit more specific?"

You look back at Ven, bewildered. She copies your expression again.

"Why are you doing that? It's not funny."

Ven relaxes her features, then gives you a meaningful look.

"Yes. _**Mimicking others isn't very funny, is it?**_"

.

..

...

You feel a deep sense of unease. You have an idea of who she's talking about.

"...Are you certain?"

"Yes."

You curse, and start to pace around the room. Both Wake, and Cache look confused by what you two are talking about... which is definitely for the best.

You are going to strangle Mickayla the next time you see her. You may want to help her family, but even you're aware of the danger that mimic's pose to themselves and others. If she's somehow gotten offworld, then...

"So what, you want me to launch some sort of half-baked rescue operation? I can't travel very far with this on my neck."

You pluck the collar with your finger. Ven smirks in response.

"I've already made the arrangements for a stand-in, and my Conjurer here should have no issue disabling the proximity sensors."

"Yorshk... I thought ye said that collar was just a prop."

You turn to Wake. She looks confused and upset in equal measure. You didn't want to worry her with your predicament, but maybe you should have been honest from the start...

"We can talk about that later. Ven, how do you propose I even get out there?"

Ven reaches under her cap, and pulls out a small vial filled with a clear liquid.

"Beholder tears. Place five drops on the floor, then think of someone you know personally. You'll be transported to their vicinity instantly. I've made enough for two uses; one to get you to the Tenebro, and another to get you back. It'll affect anyone within a ten-foot radius, so be very careful when using this."

She hands you the vial, and you place it inside of your coat pocket.

"When do you want to leave?"

Ven flinches, and looks away.

"I... wasn't planning on going with you."

You scoff. Ven's answer isn't all that surprising to you; she's never been one for violence. Despite knowing that she was sound in her judgment to come to you, it's still hard not to feel offended. You feel like she's just pointing you at the problem like a battering ram while expecting you to solve it.

You share a look with Wake, and she gives you a small grin, and a knowing nod.

"Then you won't mind if I have her come with me in your stead?"

Ven's face sours. She clearly doesn't want her involved, but you don't care. If you're going to be the one risking your neck, you want someone that you can trust watching your back.

"Either Wake comes with me, or I don't go at all, Ven. What will it be?"

.

..

...

From the center of your rooftop garden, you perform several practice swings with your whips. Your form is sloppy from a lack of practice, but it should be more than enough to suffice for now. Wake has already changed back into her usual set of clothes. You've opted to keep your hospital uniform on, but traded your pumps for a pair of lightweight boots. Cache has already deactivated your collar, so you should be fine for the next twenty-four hours.

All that's left now is to go. Ven looks towards the both of you. She looks rather nervous.

"Alright, before I send you on your way, I just want to remind you that If you drop those tears, you'll be trapped on the other side. Please, be careful."

You want to roll your eyes, but that would be needlessly rude. You and Ven haven't always seen eye to eye on things, but you at least have enough respect for her not to openly disparage her concern for your well-being.

Wake, being the good-natured person that she is, smiles broadly and gives her a thumbs up.

"Ahhh, don't worry about us, lass! We're trained professionals, we'll be back before you know it! You ready Yor-"

You cut her sharp look, and she quickly stops herself before she slips up.

"Doctor! I meant Doctor!"

You look at the vial in your hands, and open the top. Ven and Cache both back up as you let five drops hit the grass beneath you. You close the top, and huddle close to Wake as the area becomes enveloped in a blinding light.

You hear Wake call out to you.

"Ye ready for this?"

Despite the circumstances, you feel a rush of excitement, though you would never admit that openly. You glance over at Wake, and that gleam in her eye is enough to cue you in that she feels the same.

"Like you have to ask."

You focus your thoughts on Nyx, and you feel yourself being whisked away.

.

..

...

..

.

When your vision returns, you and Wake are in the middle of an empty hallway.

You were expecting a smaller ship, but judging from the width of this hall alone, the crew must be considerably large.

"Yar... I'll never get used to beholder tunnels... **urp!**"

You turn away as Wake relieves herself of today's lunch. In front of you is a large steel door with a sign that says 'Infirmary' hanging just above it. You see a hand pad, and try to open the door, but it doesn't respond.

"Wake, when you're done, come give me a hand with this."

You place your fingers by the bottom, and start to pull. The door groans, but slowly starts to move upwards. By the time you've got it halfway up, Wake has finally joined you. You slide under the door as she holds it up, then take hold of it again so she can do the same. Once you're both inside the infirmary, you let go, and the door slams down.

"It looks like someone locked the doors on purpose. Take a look around, and see if you can find anything."

"Hey, uh... Yorshk?"

You don't bother correcting her. You're not on Solum anymore, so you don't need to worry about maintaining your cover.

You look over towards Wake, and she flicks her eyes upwards. You nod.

"Oh, I know, we'll deal with that in a moment."

She nods grimly, and the two of you pretend not to notice the movement on the ceiling. You continue to check the room for clues.

You find a bag full of medical supplies on the ground. Next to it are the scraps of what looks to be food.

You kneel down, and touch the scraps.

...Is this...chicken?

"I think something or someone was collecting food rations. Did you find anything?"

Wake calls back to you from the other side of the room.

"Yar. A whole lot of nothing! Looks like most of the first aid supplies are gone... _**Whoahooo-leee-mackerel that's ugly!**_ Come here _quick!_"

You get back up, and cross the room towards a series of isolation chambers. Wake is currently looking at the remains of something sealed inside.

She whistles.

"Gonna be real with you, Yorshk. I wasn't expecting anything like this..."

You're at a loss for words. Neither were you.

You examine the open jaw from the other side of the glass. It appears to have an entire second set of jaws hidden inside its mouth... It's extremely bizarre.

"...The back of this thing's head kinda makes me think of a pringy."

You open your mouth to object, but decide against it. She's pretty spot on with that observation.

"What a strange creature."

You stretch your arms above your head, and yawn.

You hear the sound of skittering above you, and turn your head upwards.

Something small and pale tries to drop onto your face, but you seize it by the tail, and slam it onto the ground.

"Wake!"

You take a step back, and Wake fires a shot of hot ink towards the small creature. It shrugs off the rounds, and lunges towards your face again. You step out of the way, and summon one of your whips. You bring it down with all of your might, and slice the thing in two. Green blood splashes against the floor, and you watch in fascination as the fluids burn a small hole through the tiles.

Once it's finished. you look at Wake incredulously before screaming at the top of your lungs.

**"Why didn't you bring any actual bullets?!"**

**"I didn't think we'd need any!"**

**"Wake, you idio-"**

The both of you freeze when you hear something outside banging against the door frantically.

"Help! I n-need help!"

You move for the door with Wake right behind you, and start to lift it open again. Once you get up high enough, a head of familiar blue hair comes in dragging a tiny limp body in behind her.

Once Nyx is fully inside the room you and Wake let the door slam again, then turn around.

Nyx is staring at you both unbelieving and confused. Behind her is someone you've never seen before.

The same kind of small creature that just tried to attack you is wrapped around her face in a vice grip.

Nyx starts stammering.

"It c-c-c-came out of one the eggs. It just..."

She takes a deep breath.

"We fixed everything outside... Tate... she g-gave me the launch c-c-codes, and t-t-told me to get them to Avi on the b-bridge. I came back I soon as I could, but..."

She looks down at the limp body next to her. She's too distressed to be of any use to you right now.

It seems like the crew has already started preparations for a launch, but you still need to find Mickayla, and make sure that she hasn't done anything... rash. It might be cold, but she's still your first priority. Now that you've seen what the crew has been fighting off, the last thing that you want is for her to introduce this to the Solum gene pool.

There's also the issue of the Mog in front of you. You don't know what this thing is doing to her, but you doubt it's any good. You need to examine her as soon as possible.

Make your choice.

[] Place the body in a contamination chamber, and rendezvous with the other crew members - You need to take stock of the situation as soon as possible.

**[X] Examine the body, and if possible, operate - There are far too many unknowns in this situation for you to comfortably leave her here without performing a thorough examination.**

[] Split up - You'll stay and examine the body, while Wake gets things under control elsewhere with Nyx. (Change perspective to Ark, Nyx, Wake, or stay as Yorshk)


	17. Arc 2: Part 14

Several of your tentacles sprout from underneath Tate, and gently place her on top of the nearest operating table. You may be here to do a job, but saving this Mog's life comes first. You immediately go into Doctor mode, and start barking out orders.

"Wake, I want you posted up on that door; If anything even tries to come through, deal with it! Nyx... take a moment to get ahold of yourself, then come over here once you've calmed down... I might need your help."

Out of habit, Wake gives you a salute before running towards the door, while Nyx continues to stand still. Her eyes are open, but unseeing. She's likely having some sort of episode.

You ignore her in favor of the patient on the table.

You start your observations with what you can see at first glance.

The creature's tail is wrapped around her neck in a vice grip. The tail itself is segmented, and is likely strong enough to break bones. The bulk of its mass is... covering most of her face, and you can see a small sack on either side of the creature expanding and contracting. They remind you vaguely of lungs, but you can't tell for certain without performing an actual dissection. The ends of the creature terminate in thin, bony appendages that make you think of fingerbones. You can't quite get a gauge of how strong they are without touching one.

Aside from the rise and fall of the sacks, the creature is absolutely still. You reach out towards its tail with one of your tentacles...

"**D-Don't touch it!**"

Nyx yells, and you immediately pause your movements.

"I tried to p-p-pull it off, and i-it j-j-just curled around her neck even tighter!"

The lights are back on in her eyes, and whatever kind of panic she was having before seems to have passed.

You nod, and reposition your tentacles over Tate's chest.

"I'm going to take a look at her core and innards. You might want to look away."

Your eyes roll into the back of your head... and reposition them towards the end of your tentacles, protected by a thin membrane at the end. You hear a disturbed cry from your side, and click your teeth.

Hmph. It's not like you didn't give her a fair warning. Your amorphous nature as a Kunekune is one of the reasons you have little trouble performing delicate surgery.

Your tentacles pierce through the skin, and you sift through the tissue, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Thankfully, her core looks completely intact.

You move towards her upper extremities, and notice a drastic shift in the tissue color. What started as a light purple has transitioned into a jet black as you continue further in...

It looks like necrosis... but what's causing it?

You proceed forward until your progression is halted by a deeply disturbing sight.

You see a large flesh colored proboscis squirming around the tissue, and throbbing with each pulse of Tate's core. It seems to be creating a negative reaction to the rest of the tissues around it. You observe it for several seconds, until you notice the tube start to swell towards the middle. The swelling moves through the end until a tiny brown sphere pops out with a violent throb. It squirms around, then goes still.

You move your eye closer, and you can vaguely make out the shape of something inside.

...You finally understand what you're looking at. This isn't a proboscis at all... it's an ovipositor.

And It's just laid an egg inside of her!

You quickly wrap yourself around the egg, withdraw yourself from Tate's body, and drop the egg on the ground in the process. You scream as you crush it under your boot heel.

You're breathing heavily, very much unnerved by what you just saw. It isn't until Nyx puts a hand on your shoulder that you flinch, and regain your senses.

"What w-was it?"

You look towards the thing latched onto Tate's face with a grimace.

"We have to get that thing off of her, _now_. It's trying to lay eggs in her chest cavity. They don't seem to be taking, but it's causing a negative reaction that's killing her tissues from the inside. It's only a matter of time before the decay spreads to her core!"

"B-But how do we g-g-get it off?"

You bite back a frustrated curse. You have no idea how to remove this safely without running the risk of injuring her... or worse.

You and Wake have exceptionally strong grip strength, and between the two of you, it might be possible to tear the creature away from her face before it can do any more lasting harm... Though you also run the risk of it snapping her neck with its tail... and you still haven't ascertained just how strong it's finger-like appendages are.

You might be able to cut it off instead. The message that Tate left earlier mentioned that the creature's acids leave serious, but non-fatal burns on her skin due to her toxin affinity. If your recollection of Bakunawa physiology is correct, any damaged external tissue will likely heal over within a matter of months... However, you don't know how her body might react to sustained exposure. You shudder at the possibility of the acid eating through her skull if you're wrong.

You also consider the possibility of Nyx's ice magic. You don't know how the creature will react, but assuming that it goes into shock, it might be easier to remove. On the other hand, sending it into shock might cause it to dump even more toxins into Tate's body, and you won't know the extent of the damage until she wakes up.

...You could also continue to observe it. You've already destroyed one, but you don't know how many eggs this thing carries, or what it might do after it successfully (or unsuccessfully) lays an egg. If you watch and wait, it might loosen its grip, and give you enough time to safely remove it.

Make your choice.

[] Call Wake from the door, and pull it off – Between her brute strength, and your flexibility, you're confident that you can remove it with no complications.

[] Cut the tail off, then pull it off – The risk of burning yourself and Tate is extremely high, but temporary pain is a better alternative to dying.

[] Send it into shock with Nyx's ice magic, and then remove it – You have no idea how it might react, but it's probably safer than the other alternatives...

**[X] Watch, and wait for an opening – You still don't know enough. Maybe it'll loosen its grip with enough time.**

You exhale, and take a seat on an empty chair across from Tate. Knowing what this thing is trying to do turns your stomach, but your knee-jerk desire to remove it may only make things worse. You address Nyx while keeping your eyes on the creature.

"...We don't. We'll watch, and wait. I'm worried about the internal damage being done... but as much as I hate to admit it, trying to pull it off now might only make things worse."

"Oh..."

You look at Nyx out of the corner of your eye.

"...What are you even doing here anyway?"

She doesn't answer you right away. You guess that she's probably trying to figure out how much she should tell you.

"It's my f-first day o-on the job."

"Ah. So you're the specimen collector in the message."

She nods.

"I see. Then you can fill me in on the details of what happened."

Nyx sighs, and after another long pause, she gives you a brief summary. Apparently, while she had been dispatched to recover egg samples, there was a hostile takeover attempted on the ship that resulted in them crash landing into a fissure in the ground. She was able to find the eggs, but was knocked out by one of the creatures, and taken somewhere else.

"W-when I woke up, I was s-s-stuck to a wall... There were eggs e-everywhere... and more of those _t-things._"

Her eyes grow damp with tears as she recalls her captivity.

"They were just... there. I-In the dark, w-waiting for something... One of the e-eggs started to open... and t-then the n-next thing I know, Tate comes charging in w-with a blow torch, and chases them away. I w-was nearly out of air when s-she found me."

She grabs one of your hands, and her grip is so tight on it, that you wince. You never realized how cold her natural body temperature is. You turn to look her in the face, and are surprised to see her so genuinely distraught.

"She s-s-s-saved my life. Please Yorshk, help h-her..."

She may have been the old Ambassador's pactmate, but she's most likely never dealt with this level of violence, or had someone risk their life for hers like this before.

You sigh, and cover her hand with your other one. As much as you want to lie, sugarcoating it would only make things worse.

"...There's really not much that I can do. This is completely outside my realm of expertise. Even if we remove that thing without a problem, the damage done to the tissues surrounding her core is dire... I might be able to save her if we were back at the hospital, but..."

"N-No!"

"All I'm saying... is that we need to hope for the bes-"

"_**Hurkllgh!**_"

The both of you jump out of your seats when you hear the sound of choking coming from Tate. It seems she's woken up before the creature could finish laying its eggs. She's thrashing about wildly, and you can see the tail start to constrict even tighter around her neck. You quickly grab it with your tentacles while Nyx grabs the very end, and the both of you pull with all of your might.

It barely gives way, and you can feel it starting to push back down on your grip.

You scream for Wake at the top of your lungs.

"Wake! I need you, **right now!**"

As Wake comes running to assist, the sound of Tate's panicked choking grows more dire.

"Wake, pull as hard as you can!"

She reverts back to her true form without a word, and clambers onto Tate's chest, grabbing at the creature with all of her limbs. She starts to pull, and in response it buries its fingers deep into the sides of Tate's skull.

Even with the ovipositor down her throat, the scream that she makes pierces you to the core.

"Let go! _**Let go!**_"

You all quickly release the creature, but it's only become even more agitated from your collective actions. Its tail has completely let go of Tate's throat, but is now using its fingers as anchor points instead.

Somehow, Tate manages to flip herself onto her stomach, and starts bashing her head against the table in an attempt to stun the creature.

She bashes her head another time.

And then another.

And then another...

...And on the fifth impact, several of the creature's fingers lose their grip, but before any of you can react, Tate props her knees against the sacs on its side, and starts to pull, screaming like an angry mandrake all the while.

You all watch, spellbound as the other digits fall away, until the only thing connecting the two of them is the disgusting ovipositor slowly being pulled away as well. With one last yank, and an awful squelching sound, the appendage dislodges itself from her throat, and the momentum sends Tate flying backwards off of the table, and skidding several feet across the floor.

The creature writhes on the ground for several seconds before going still, and curling in on itself.

You think it's dead.

"**T-Tate!**"

Nyx is already at her side. You and Wake hurry over, and take a knee next to her.

As you examine her, your core sinks in your chest.

The skin color around her face is a sickly yellow, and you can see swollen veins pulsing near her eyes. Her pupils have a thin, white film over them, and you have no doubt in your mind that she's lost her vision. Her breathing is rapid and shallow, and the holes that were burrowed into her face are oozing a puss-like substance.

...It seems like the creature must have pumped her system full of enough toxins to overwhelm her affinity, and now her body is shutting down.

You were too late.

You and Wake share a sad, knowing look, while Nyx cradles the Bakunawa in her arms.

"Stay awake, Tate! C-Come on... You're gonna b-be fine!"

Tate tries to say something, but all that comes out is a thick, purple slurry that dribbles down her chin.

Nyx looks to you, desperate for a way to save her.

"C-Can't we just give her p-part of our cores?!"

Wake shakes her head.

"**No.** Too risky with the creepy crawlies roamin' around."

You nod sadly.

"Wake's right. If we run into anything else, we'd be too weak to fight back... And there's also no guarantee that it'll work."

Nyx's face darkens, and she stands back up to full height. She summons her scythe, and levels it at Tate's chest.

"If y-you won't help her, th-then I'll do it myself!"

You grab the scythe by the pole and yank it from her hands. You restrain her body with your tentacles, and she struggles against them with little success.

"Nyx, I'm sorry... but there's nothing more we can do for her."

She struggles even harder, clearly refusing to accept the outcome.

A jagged icicle pierces one of your tentacles, and you scream in pain. You release your hold on Nyx, and she's got her scythe back in her hands again. Wake is about to attack, but you shake your head.

"Let m-me try... _please..._"

Tate coughs up something black and runny. Her breathing has slowed down to a quiet rasping.

She's almost gone...

It seems Nyx is dead set on trying to save the Bakunawa. A core transplant would work under normal circumstances, but if the toxins inside her body were enough to overwhelm her natural resistances, then there's no guarantee that it won't continue to destroy her body before the core can cleanse everything from her system.

The odds would be significantly higher if you and Wake contributed... but then all three of you would be at a major disadvantage if a confrontation were to follow.

As far as your concerned, the kindest thing that you can do for Tate, would be to dive into her core yourself... and see if there's any last requests or words that she might want delivered before she's gone...

Make your choice.

[] Let Nyx attempt to save Tate with a core transfusion... while taking a mild loss to combat capability.

[] Help Nyx by assisting with the core transfusion... while taking a severe loss to combat capability.

**[X] Assist in the core transfusion, and convince Wake to contribute as well... at the complete loss of all combat capability.**

[] Dive into Tate's core yourself, and see her off peacefully.

You feel an odd emotion stirring from deep within yourself. In the moment, Nyx's blind compassion reminds you of yourself back when you first started making panacea's in your youth. You may not have had many friends back then, but seeing your patients' grateful faces was always worth the struggle of collecting and combining rare ingredients.

Back then, before the war, things were so much simpler. You didn't have to worry about who you could and couldn't save. You didn't have to prioritize lives like you do at your current job. You glance towards Wake, and search within yourself.

You know that if it were her dying on the floor, you would do everything in your power to keep her alive...

You scowl, and nod as your conscience gets the better of you.

"Fine, I'll help you, but if we all die here, I swear I'll curse you in the afterlife!"

Nyx nods gratefully, while Wake looks at you with an incredulous expression.

"Ye can't be serious Yorshk! This is _suicide!_"

You tenderly place a hand on her shoulder, and you stare her dead in the face.

"If that were me right now... what would you do?"

She shrugs your hand off like a hot coal, and looks away from you.

"Arrrgh... that's _not_ fair!"

Wake grits her teeth, and shakes her head. She's adamant about keeping her core. You won't push the issue with her.

You turn back towards Nyx.

"I need you to listen very carefully, before we extract her core, let's set our shards aside first. As you separate yours, I want you to think about your friend making a speedy recovery."

Nyx gives you a funny look, but you raise your hand to quiet her before she can talk.

"Just do it. Positivity helps with core recovery; I've seen it enough times to know. Just fill your thoughts with well wishes."

Nyx seems to accept this, and closes her eyes.

"_She b-barely even knows me... but she still h-helped me... I can't let her die like this because of m-me!_"

A soft blue core shard leaves her body, and settles onto the floor next to her.

To your surprise, Wake moves closer to Tate. She's reverted back to her human form, and her hat is clutched firmly in her hands.

"_It's funny. Just this mornin' while I was scrappin' with Ark, ye were comin' at me with a giant needle full of who-knows-what, and no fear in yer eyes. Ye got more fightin' spirit than most Mogs twice yer size... All ye need, is a little more!_"

A vibrant purple core shard joins with Nyx's, leaving you as the only one without a contribution.

You close your eyes, and try to find something positive to latch onto...

Nothing comes.

It's only natural, you suppose; you have no familiarity with Tate... and your core has been in need of a cleaning for a very, very long time.

Instead of trying to think on the positive, you let your thoughts drift towards the one emotion that's kept you pushing forward through the darkest points of your life.

"_We're putting all of our lives on the line to save yours... so don't you dare give up without a fight!_"

You focus on that roiling surge of indignation, and pull it forward from your chest. A dark purple core shard crackles with energy as it combines with the others.

Your feet slip out from underneath you, and Wake catches you before you hit the floor.

"Yorshk... yer core!"

She's looking at you the same way your mothers used to whenever they scolded you. She doesn't have to say anything. You definitely should have known better.

Unfortunately, you just don't care anymore.

You push off of Wake, and pick yourself back up. You turn back to Nyx. She's giving you a pitying stare that infuriates you.

"_Don't._" You hiss through closed teeth. You won't ever let yourself be looked down upon.

_ **Ever.** _

You bring your focus back to Tate, and summon your tentacles. They're considerably smaller now, and your grip strength is practically nonexistent. Still, you manage to pierce her skin, and wrap yourself around her core. You can feel uneven grooves on it. Possibly decay?

You shudder. It was fine less than five minutes ago. You're extremely uncertain about your chances, but you keep this to yourself.

"This... is the most crucial part. Once I pull her core out, we'll need to excise any corrupted pieces. Nyx how confident are you with that scythe?"

She takes a deep breath, and steadies the scythe in her hands.

"J-Just show me where I need to cut."

You nod. That's good enough for you.

"Wake, once Nyx finishes, you'll need to add our shards to hers. Be ready on my say so."

Wake picks up the combined shards.

"Aye."

And you brace your tentacles around Tate's core.

"Alright. On three... Two... One...!"

You pull, and the core slides out from her body.

.

..

...

You've seen a lot of horrible things in your life, but this...

Oh... Whatever Gods that are waiting on the other side have so much to answer for if they're willing to allow something like _this_ to exist...

Tate's core sits in between your tentacles... blackened, and half eaten. The edges are dripping with a viscous white fluid, and you can see something wriggling inside the center.

Your old training kicks in, and rather than focus on the horror in front of you, your tentacle draws a diagonal line across the core.

However, your focus doesn't stop you from sounding absolutely terrified as you yell.

"_Nyx! Kill it! __**Kill it now!**_"

She swings hers scythe, cleaving the core and creature in two. It falls to the floor, and the panels underneath it hiss and bubble as acid blood eats away through it.

Your adrenaline is pumping so hard that you don't feel the burns on your tentacles.

Wake is already one step ahead of you, and joins your makeshift core to Tate's.

You quickly return it to her chest, remove your tentacles, and fall onto your back, heaving as you try to process what you just saw.

Nyx offers you a hand, but you don't take it. You're still looking at the hole where that creature's corpse fell.

"Yorshk!"

What was that thing, and how did you miss it the first time you examined her?

"_Yorshk!_"

What if there are others on the ship infected? The chances of-

"_**Yorshk! Above you!**_"

Nyx yanks you from your spot on the floor...

Just as a giant bony tail spears itself into the space where you were sitting. You quickly scramble to your feet, and look up at the ceiling.

A creature that looks exactly like the dead one in the isolation chamber is staring down at the three of you from inside the opening it just made with its tail.

It opens its mouth, and lets out a piercing shriek.

.

..

...

You hear frenzied movement from inside the vents, and then five more sets of tails punch through various parts of the ceiling inside the infirmary.

The first one lowers itself into the room, and the others follow suit, until the three of you are surrounded on all sides by six of them. You exchange glances with Nyx and Wake, and all three of you put your backs to one another as you summon your weapons.

You feel like you're going to collapse from the strain of giving up part of your core... but you have no intention of going down without a fight.

You let loose a feral roar, and bring your whips down on the creature closest to you... but it does little more then leave a small scratch on its hide. It flinches for a moment, then hisses sharply at you before raising its claws for a retaliatory swipe.

"Hrrrrrrrnnnnnggg..."

You and the creatures all pause, as you hear a strange groan in the vents above you.

Something whizzes past your head, and the creature closest to Wake falls limp to the ground.

There's a knife sticking out of its head.

The others screech...

"_**Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!**_"

...but are quickly drowned out by the sound of screaming pengineers pouring in from the vents.

One drops directly on top of the creature in front of you, and starts to brutally assault it with a plunger while screaming like a mad Mog.

Seven more drop in... and they all have guns.

You shout at the others before the firefight starts.

"_Hit the deck!_"

You drop to the floor, and cover your head as the sound of plasma fire fills the room. Alien shrieks and screeches fill the room for several long seconds. You hear Wake grunt in pain, but you don't dare lift your head. The last thing you want is to get caught by a stray round, or a splash of acid.

The sounds of battle fade, and you eventually lift your head up.

The charred remains of alien corpses litter the area. Crouched directly in front of you is a Mogwai whose species you can't quite discern at first glance, but looks vaguely familiar to you for some reason.

You definitely recognize her clothing however; It's a Militia pilot's uniform.

She grins, and offers you a hand, which you take.

"Oh wow! I haven't seen you in years, Captain! You look exactly like I remember you. Actually, maybe you're just a little meaner looking now."

You haven't held that rank in hundreds of years, but you're too exhausted to correct her. As she helps you up, you recall the last time you saw her.

.

..

...

Oh. That's right... You drove her and her friends insane during the takeover attempt. This is a gross oversight on your behalf. This might make any attempts at opening dialogue difficult for you...

You turn away from her, and try your best not to look guilty. As you look around the room, you notice that the infirmary door has been opened wide, with several pengineers moving towards you with their guns aimed directly at your chest.

You look over to your left, and see Wake in a similar state. Ark is standing over her, with an anchor pinning her down to the floor. Nyx has been left alone so far, but has chosen to remain quiet for whatever reason. She's likely waiting to see what they want.

You lock eyes with Ark, and she nods in your direction.

"General."

Your reply is just as curt.

"Corporal. Or should I say, _deserter?_"

"Ha. Funny. We saw a power surge go off in this section. Don't suppose you have anything to do with that, do you?"

Wake chimes in from the floor.

"Seriously? We come here to save yer sorry butts, and this is the thanks we get?!"

"Shut up!"

Ark kicks Wake square in the chest, causing her to wheeze in pain. You move to intervene, but the Mog in the pilot's uniform pokes you in the back with something.

You turn your head, and realize that it's an umbrella.

"Not a smart move, sis. Just keep still, okay? We gotta round up anyone we find, and bring em' up to the bridge until we find the M-"

"Avi, keep your mouth shut, and **don't tell them anything.**"

Ark watches you for any reaction, but you keep your face as neutral as the situation allows. You can hazard a guess at what they're talking about though. Or rather, who.

Nyx finally breaks her silence.

"Ark, Avi, s-stop! She's not l-lying! They r-really came here to help! They h-h-helped Tate..."

Avi notices the body on the floor, and moves away from you to inspect. She looks more than a little distraught.

You yell at Avi before she can jostle her.

"_**Don't**_ move her! She's just had a core transfusion, and needs to rest!"

"Wait."

Ark looks back to you again.

"Tell me what happened before we got here."

You give Ark the details about how you received Tate's distress signal, though you leave out any mention of Ven or Cache's involvement, or the means you used to get here. The last dose of Beholder tears is your trump card, and you can't afford to have that confiscated.

You continue telling her about the state you found Tate in... along with the risk that the three of you took to try and save her.

Ark's fierce expression softens considerably, but she remains unmoved.

You watch as she gives Nyx a pained look before nodding to one of the pengineers, who points their gun at Nyx.

"Wh-What...?"

"This is absolutely not personal. Trust me when I say that this is for everyone's safety, kid. Now we're all gonna take a walk up to the bridge..."

She lifts her anchor off of Wake's back, and points it towards you with a knowing look.

"And _you're_ going to tell my wife exactly what it is you're looking for here."


	18. Arc 2: Part 15

You are **Tate Astaroth**, and you're gonna hurl.

_ **Everything hurts.** _

Your throat is sore...

On second thought... nope. You definitely _don't_ want to think about that right now. What else can you complain about...?

Your chest feels like it has a billion holes in it...

Your face feels like it has a bunch of scabs on the sides...

Your eyes must be crusty as heck, because you can barely see your own two hands in front of you...

And because you can't see that great, you have no idea where you are right now!

Physically, that is. You heard the conversations from earlier while you were floating in and out of consciousness, so you know that you're somewhere in the infirmary.

You can hear the sounds of the Tenebro's engines in the background, which means that either they've left the moon, or are getting ready to leave.

You just want to put this day behind you as soon as possible...

You move your hands around, and feel something similar to the floor panel.

_...Did they really just leave you here on the floor?!_

You make a mental note to yourself to give Nyx and her friends a piece of your mind.

You heard most of the commotion after they fixed your core, but could they bother to-

"**Urp!**"

You prop yourself up on an elbow, and feel your stomach start to heave. Can't put it off, this is happening **right now!**

What will you do?

**[X] Puke your guts out, then use the infirmary's Autodoc – You really need to do something about your eyesight right now.**

[] Puke your guts out, then find the nearest pack of chicken tenders – You're starving...

[] Puke your guts out, do all of the above, then go back to sleep – You're done carrying everyone for today, and you're going to yell at Nile about a long vacation once everything is said and done. (Switch perspective to **Nyx or Mickayla for the remainder of the scenario until the Tenebro safely returns to Solum.**)

You manage to get your other elbow underneath you just in time before you open your mouth...

"**BLAARRRRRRRRGGGHH!**"

...And proceed to puke your guts out in one go, as prophesized by your stomach. Thankfully, none of it splashes on you.

You roll over onto your side, and take a couple of breaths.

...Okay. You feel a little better now. Time to get back to it.

You groan, and raise your voice.

"Computer... First officer Astaroth requesting voice activation of Infirmary's autodoctor. Personal passcode: Nightingale."

You hear a loud, angry buzz, before the voice of the onboard computer kicks in.

"**Personal passcode, incorrect. Please be advised: Due to the recent reset of onboard systems, all personal passcodes have been rolled back to a previous entry. Please enter the last passcode from two years ago.**"

You groan again. You don't have time to play guessing games.

You try to remember what you were into at the time. There was that one RPG that Avi roped you into playing for a bit. Was that it?

"Personal passcode: Enkō's Edict."

You wince as the buzz sounds again.

"**Personal passcode, incorrect.**"

Oh great. Okay. What else is there? If you recall correctly, you were also binging some old human sci-fi flicks on your VHS player. There was that one with the guy in the program...

"Personal passcode: Red and Blue pills."

Another loud buzz.

”**Personal passcode, incorrect. You have one more attempt remaining.**”

Your head slams against the floor with a thunk.

"Oh, come on!!!"

You wrack your brain for the correct passcode.

.

..

... You think you remember what it is now, but you really hope you're wrong. You were going through a really rough patch after you got bold and confessed to She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named via an anonymous email. You knew that she knew it was you, even if she was kind enough not to say anything. You blew off steam for the rest of that year in some very... passive-aggressive ways with that account.

You sigh, and mutter out your passcode.

"...Personal passcode: Yin Eater Triple X..."

.

..

...

"**Personal passcode accepted. Good day, Tate.**"

Yep. You can officially die of embarrassment now. You're going to need to change that back as soon as possible.

You hear the ceiling above you slide open, and feel several metal graspers hoist you up.

"**Conducting scan, please wait...**"

You remain suspended in the air as a beam of light is traced over your body for several seconds. When it disappears, you're placed face up onto the operating table.

"**Scan complete. Warning: Severe retinal damage detected. Recommend immediate corrective laser surgery.**"

You suck your teeth. It's not that surprising, but you want to get up and about as soon as possible.

"Got it. How long till I'm able to see properly again?"

"**The procedure will last for seven minutes, with an additional five minutes for suggested recovery time. Vision will be restored, but extreme sensitivity to light will persist for at least fifteen hours.**"

You can live with that; you're pretty sure that there's a suitable pair of shades somewhere in your toolbelt.

"Understood. Start the procedure, and give me a status report on the ship while you're at it."

"**Please narrow your search parameters.**"

You hear the sound of a laser whine as you feel something cold hold your eyelids open, and drop a solution directly onto your eyeballs.

You forgot how specific you have to be with some of these systems.

You decide to start with the most important question.

"How long have I been out, and what's the Tenebro's current location?"

"**Scans show that you have been comatose for the last three hours. The H.M.S. Tenebro is currently in orbit around the planet of Solum.**"

You breathe a huge sigh of relief; we were able to make it home!

"Okay, that's great! Uhhh... What's the mission status?"

The laser comes to life, and you feel something warm trace a perfect circle around the iris of your left eye. The crust covering your eye falls away, and the tweezer holding your lid in place falls away as you shut it, and hiss in discomfort.

Gah! That is really, freaking bright!

"**The mission status was a success. Four egg samples have been retrieved, and the Epsilonians have been notified of the location of the bodies of their scouts.**"

"...How about casualties on our end?"

"**Performing cross-reference of crew registry, please wait.**"

The autodoc goes to work on your other eye, and you fight back a groan when the lights hit your other eye. You feel something made of plastic being placed onto your face.

When you open your eyes again, the ceiling in front of you looks strangely dark...

You take another moment to realize that the autodoc has just given you a pair of 3D printed sunglasses. You're more out of it than you thought...

As you wait for the computer to finish, you sit up, and take a look around the infirmary.

You see the aforementioned eggs sitting in an isolation chamber. You can only assume Nyx was able to seal them inside.

...You hope she's doing alright. You didn't expect to get along with her as well as you do. In the moments of downtime between fighting off hordes of those things outside, she shared a fair amount of her story with you. It's put a lot of your own issues with your life into perspective.

You have nothing but respect (_and admiration if you're being completely honest_) for someone that can live through the worst kind of loss, and still keep moving on with their life.

It's romantic... in an overblown, angsty sort of way.

Okay, maybe that's the exhaustion messing with your thoughts... but still, the fact that she went the extra mile to come back for you, and then give up part of her core...

...Yeah. You aren't going to be forgetting that anytime soon.

"**Cross-reference complete. Of the seventy-eight crew registered members, there have been a total of twenty-nine confirmed casualties so far.**"

You gasp, and cover your mouth in shock. The pengineers aren't your favorite group of people, but that death toll rocks you to your core. These were people's family members, friends, lovers... and dead over what? A bunch of stupid freaking eggs?

You can't imagine how guilty Nile must be feeling right now.

"...How many of the casualties were accidental?"

"**Eighteen.**"

"...And the rest?"

"**The vital signs of the other crew members ceased to register ten minutes after entering the quarantine zone.**"

...What? Quarantine?

"Okay, back up a sec! Why does the ship have a quarantine zone, and where is it?"

"**The quarantine zone is comprised of the entire engineering sector, and was established two hours ago when an unidentified lifeform devoured all of the remaining hostile lifeforms within the sector.**"

Oh crap...

"Computer, are you telling me that the Mimic from the brig ate the rest of those things?!"

"**Unable to verify unidentified lifeform as a Mimic. Please make another inquiry.**"

You curse, and get up from the table, and start moving towards the hallway. Despite your extended nap, and your sore everything, you feel surprisingly full of energy.

"Computer, give the current locations of all administrative staff, and any unregistered persons onboard!"

"**Tate Astaroth is currently stationed in the infirmary. Ark Valic is currently moving through the quarantine zone with an unregistered Yin-phase Kraken, one unregistered Yin-phase human, and one Yang-phase Tiny Oni wearing a foreign RFID subdermal implant. Nile Foras, Avisa Alocer, and an unregistered Yin-phase Kunekune, are currently stationed on the bridge. Nyx Ronove is currently in the brig with one unregistered Yin-phase human, following a direct order issued by Nile Foras. Under no circumstances are they to be released.**"

"That makes no sense!"

You leave the infirmary, and pull up your holopad as you walk.

You need to get a hold of someone, and find out exactly what's going on.

What will you do? (**Pick both a place to call, and a direction to travel**)

**[X] Open a call to the bridge – If anyone knows what happening, it'll be Nile. Maybe the Kunekune might know something as well.**

[] Open a call to the quarantine zone – You hope Ark didn't rush down there without a plan in mind...

[] Open a call to the brig – You don’t know what Nile is thinking, or what she thinks she knows; There's absolutely no good reason for Nyx to be stuck in a cell after everything the two of you did to keep the crew safe!

[] Move directly to the quarantine zone with no detours – No time to waste!

**[X] Move to the armory, and suit up – You've got a pet project that you've been itching to test out, and this is the perfect trial run.**

You head in the direction of the armory, and make a video call to the bridge. You're going to head down there to investigate yourself, but first, you need to speak to Nile.

A couple of seconds pass before a live feed of the bridge displays on your holopad. On the other side, you see Nile staring back at you with a startled face. That alone makes you nervous. Nothing ever rattles her.

Another woman is just behind her, and although you've never met her before in your life, something in your core resonates, and feel vague impressions of familiarity being pressed onto your being.

...The person you're looking at must be Yorshk; there's something in that tired stare that leaves little doubt of it.

She doesn't really look like much of a General to you. More like a Doctor, if the lab coat is anything to go by.

"Tate! You shouldn't be moving... you shouldn't even be awake right now!"

You shrug. It's nice that people are actually worried about you for a change. Totally not sarcasm at all.

"I got better. So, does anyone wanna tell me what's going on in engineering, or am I going to have to go down there and find out myself?"

Nile shakes her head, while Yorshk watches from behind her with a tight-lipped expression. She moves her arms over to the side to stretch, and you can see Avi at the ship's helm, pretending not to listen.

And directly behind Yorshk's back, is a single pengineer pointing a gun at her.

Ah. So that's how it is.

"For your own sake, go back to the infirmary, and rest. _Please._"

...Something's fishy.

"...Why? And why is Nyx in the brig?"

She looks away from the monitor.

She saw something in your future, didn't she?

"Nile, talk to me. What is going on?"

Yorshk perks her head up, and speaks.

"Not for nothing, Mrs. Foras, but I think your wife and my friend could use all the help they can get. So, if you won't tell her, I will."

"That's not your call to make."

Yorshk gestures mockingly at the crystal ball in Nile's hands.

"And it certainly doesn't seem to be yours either. Are you really that content to rely on that bauble of yours for guidance at such a crucial time? Tch. You precognitive Mogs are all the same... Show some actual leadership; you might even start saving lives today for a change."

Yorshk clearly has a gift for bringing out the worst in people, because you have never, in all of your years, seen Nile's face darken to this degree. You're thankful that she turns her gaze away from you, and towards Yorshk. Her words must have struck a nerve with Nile, because you can hear the frustration in her voice.

"How _dare_ you...! I made the best decisions that I could...!"

She's trying her best not to let her anger show.

Yorshk looks wholly unimpressed. She waves a hand in front of her face dismissively.

"And the fact that we're here in this situation in spite of your ‘preparations’ goes to show just how _little any of that means._ As far as I'm concerned, you're just a child with a spaceship, playing at explorers. You think you can get away with anything as long as you can see a few steps ahead, except now that you've mis-stepped, you have no idea what to do. Well, I've already explained to you why I'm here, and why you need to let me retrieve what I came for. We've debated the best course of action for hours with nothing to show for it, and I refuse to waste anymore of my time on you."

You watch as the pengineer behind Yorshk loses his cool, and tries to shove her with the butt of his gun.

A tentacle sprouts out of the floor, and slaps the gun away, sending the pengineer stumbling to the floor. In that moment, Yorshk seems to almost melt into the floor, and disappear entirely before anyone else can react.

A beat passes. Nile takes a deep, quivering breath, and turns back towards you. Her face is eerily stony, and her eyes look damp in the monitor. As she speaks to you, her hands grip the crystal ball so tightly that it trembles.

"Tate, I'm begging you. _Please_ go back to the infirmary, and rest. Everything will work out just fine... I promise."

Any other day, you might've believed her. But now? You can't help but feel a little skeptical. You can see Avi looking just as put off as you are right now, though she doesn't say a word.

You try to speak as gently as possible.

"...If that's all you're gonna say, then I'm cutting this call off. I can't just sit around and do nothing, Nile."

Tears spring from her eyes, and she clears her throat before trying to speak again.

"...Alright. While you were incapacitated, the... thing they extracted from your core managed to survive. It traveled down into engineering, grew... and started eating everything in the sector... even others like it. We sealed the entire area off, but it's still growing in size. Current scans show the lifeform at fifteen feet tall. At the current rate of growth... it'll grow large enough to cause a critical tear in the hull in less than six hours."

You frown at this. They couldn't have picked a worse spot to set up quarantine. Explosive chemical reactants in the engine coolant make using any kind of projectiles a no-go. And if this one is like all the others you've gone against, then the acid blood would run the risk of causing the same kind of damage.

Wait. _Nile let those hotheads go instead of waking you up?!_

"Yeaaaahhhh, I'm definitely going down there. I can't trust those numbskulls not to blow us all up!"

You move to hang up-

"_**Tate!**_"

But Nile calls to you just before you hit the button.

"I can't stop you from going, but please... stay safe."

You give her a reassuring grin.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine! Someone has to make sure this place doesn't fall apart."

You end the call, and as you head towards the armory, you try not to think about Nile's reaction.

It was almost as if she believed that she was **sending you to your death...**

Whatever. You already had one close call today, you think you might be able to get away with another.

.

..

...

..

.

You reach the armory, and aren't exactly surprised to see Yorshk outside the doors. Judging from the small dents on the edges, you assume that she tried to force the door open, but failed. She turns her head towards you, and nods.

"Going my way?"

You don't know what she's doing onboard the ship, but you don't really care. Right now, any help is good help.

You press your hand to the door, and the locks disengage. The doors slide open, and the two of you walk in. The racks reserved for the pengineers' weapons have been picked clean.

You suck your teeth when you notice that the scythe you were working on is gone, too.

You see Yorshk inspecting some of the rifles, and you make sure to lay down some ground rules.

"Blue shelf belongs to Ark, Purple shelf is all mine. Don't touch either. Help yourself to anything else. Projectiles probably aren't a good idea for where we're headed."

She picks up a plasma pistol, looks it over, then puts it back down.

"The engineering sector, right? Do you have anything suited for close range?"

You point towards a rack situated towards the back of the room.

"Try over there."

You move towards your rack, and pull a large metal suitcase from off of it. You press your thumb to the touch pad on the underside, then step back as the flaps slide open. Inside is a wristband, which you put on your left wrist.

"What's that?"

You turn around, and see Yorshk eyeing your creation curiously. You can't help but notice that she's grabbed two hard-light whips from off the rack.

You smirk, and tap a button on the wristband. After two seconds, your rack flips upward with a loud hiss, as a giant capsule emerges from underneath it. Inside is an armored combat suit of your own making.

It stands at seven feet tall, with an overall aesthetic modeled after <strike>your muse's</strike> an Isonade's body. The frame is equipped with omni-directional boosters built into the fins, with extendable plasma cutters built into the claws. On the right shoulder is a mounted plasma cannon.

You still haven't had time to paint it, or add any extra features, other than a short-range motion tracker, and multiple vision modes (which is a boon for your sensitive eyes right now), but the extra thick layers of armor are what you want more than anything right now.

You take off your eyeglasses, and climb inside the suit. The forward hatch shuts once you're properly situated. You still haven't set up any proper heads up display, save for the motion tracker in the lower right-hand corner, but the cameras all work just fine.

You turn to Yorshk, who gapes at your creation.

"...Is there any reason why the Militia never recruited you?"

You snort, and wince inside the suit as the sound comes out through the mouth speakers.

"They said I was too short."

"Their loss."

The ship rumbles, and you hear something like an animal's deep bellow coming from several decks underneath you.

You leave the armory with your suit, and Yorshk follows alongside you. Neither of you say anything. Even if you wanted to start a casual conversation with her, it's not the time or place.

As you move through the hallway, you consider your options.

You could head to the quarantine section now... or you could stop by the brig, and free Nyx. You do recall there being another human mentioned in the computer's report. Part of you wants to see, but you've already ignored one of Nile's requests... it might not be too smart to do it again.

There's also the issue with Yorshk. You still don't know why or how she got onboard, and even though you kept your mouth shut... you really didn't appreciate the way she spoke to Nile. _At all._ They were clearly going at it before you called... but over what?

You want to know, but it would also be a better use of time to try and figure out a plan of action before you reach the quarantine sector.

What will you do?

[] Waste no more time - get to the quarantine zone in as short of a time as possible, and confront the creature before it destroys the ship!

[] Stop by the brig first - Nyx may not have completely recovered from before, but maybe she can help somehow.

**[X] Take the longer route, and formulate a plan - While you’re at it, you'll give Yorshk a piece of your mind too: Nobody talks down to Nile like that.**


	19. Arc 2: Part 16

As you walk down the hall, you stop at a nearby terminal, and pull up a map. You hear Yorshk stop short behind you as you confirm your route.

"What is it?"

You trace a finger along the path leading to the front entrance to the quarantine zone.

"I don't know about you, but I really don't wanna use the front door."

You draw a line that adds several turns, and ends on the opposite side of the area.

"We'll take the long way around. If I know Ark, she probably just went charging right in."

Yorshk moves next to you, and studies the route before nodding.

"I'm guessing that you want to avoid a direct fight then?"

You shrug.

"That, and I also need time to think of a plan to deep-six this thing."

She nods, then falls in line behind you.

"Lead the way."

...She's really not one to waste words, huh?

The two of you walk down the hallways for several minutes. Despite wracking your brain as hard as you can, you're unable to come up with any decent ideas that don't run the risk of blowing the ship up.

But then again, you hardly know anything about what you're about to throw down with.

You look through the side of your front visor, and see that Yorshk's footfalls are in time with yours as she walks side-by-side with you. It freaks you out how perfectly synced they are.

Her eyes slide over, and she catches you looking.

"Hm? What is it?"

You stop, and she pauses in mid-stride along with you. You ignore it, and ask your question instead.

"So, is there anything you can tell me about what was growing in my core? I'm still in the dark on that."

Yorshk expression grows pained, and she hesitates before answering.

"...What I'm about to tell you, might make you extremely uncomfortable. Take a moment, then let me know when you're ready."

You roll your eyes. Your face is behind a mask, so she can't see it.

You make sure to add an impatient groan for good measure.

"Can you stop beating around the bush, and just _get on with it?!_"

You're starting to get more than a little irritated at how everyone's been treating you like a piece of porcelain, and even though she helped save your life a few hours ago, you don't feel bad about raising your voice.

She sighs, but complies with your wishes.

"...Do you remember anything from before you woke up?"

...You shiver inside of your suit.

"Too much, but not enough, if that makes sense... I remember hearing bits and pieces of you, Wake, and Nyx arguing about my core... Thanks for changing your mind, by the way."

She nods, but otherwise doesn't acknowledge your gratitude.

...Wow. What a jerk.

When Yorshk speaks again, her voice is soft.

"When I first examined you, there was... an egg planted inside of you. I was able to remove one, but I missed another... That's what we pulled out of your core several hours ago. Nile and I ran a test on the tissue that Nyx cut off in the infirmary, and we found that the samples contained thirty percent-"

You raise your hand to cut her off.

She was right, you really don't need to hear any of this right now.

"I don't care how it was made. **I. Just. Want. To. Know. How. To. Kill. It.**"

With each over pronounced word, you stamp your metal boot on the floor as you speak. She takes the hint, and stays quiet. She looks genuinely concerned for you, and that only makes you more upset.

You resume walking, albeit a little faster this time.

Yorshk still has no trouble matching your pace.

You're still (extremely) mad, so you decide to try and pick a fight with her.

"You didn't have to tear into Nile like that, you know."

Yorshk doesn't react the way you were hoping for. She nods, but says nothing.

You continue to antagonize her anyway.

"You don't know anything about her, or us, or anything that we've been through in our lives!"

You're just rambling at this point about nothing in particular, but you're desperate to get some sort of rise out of her.

"If you were half the leader Nile is-"

Yorshk stops dead in her tracks before you can finish.

She places a hand on the shoulders of your suit, and lets out a tired sigh.

"I'm sorry."

You can't think of anything to say. You honestly weren't expecting that.

"You've just gone through a harrowing experience, and I'm partially to blame. If I hadn't missed that other egg, we wouldn't be in this situation right now. I'm sorry..."

You try to shrug her arm away, but her grip holds you firmly in place.

If she's this strong with a weakened core, you'd hate to imagine what she's capable of at full strength...

Yorshk brings her face close to your visor until her eyes fill up the entire screen.

Her voice is a low whisper.

"...but don't think for one second that I'm going to let you use me like some emotional punching bag. If you _**ever**_ disrespect me like that again, I will snatch you right out from between the cracks of that soup can you're wearing, and bludgeon you over the head with it. Now is not the time to be petty, do I make myself clear?"

She blinks once.

But you're not even thinking about that.

Something she said just jogged a memory.

_Soup._

_ **Soup's On!** _

You just had an idea so crazy, it might work.

"Yorshk, I could kiss you right now, I just had an idea!"

She lets quickly lets you go with a disgusted grunt, and you quickly start to make a beeline for the quarantine zone. As you jog, you call up the ship's computer systems.

"Computer, can you perform a scan within the orbital path of Solum? Narrow the search down to anything containing both Tiny Oni, and Ikaroa DNA."

"**Query acknowledged. Performing scan.**"

Yorshk calls out from next to you. You don't bother looking down, you already know she's matching your pace again.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for someone."

Another few seconds pass, and you hear an affirming as the computer replies.

"**Match found. Subject is currently in orbit around Solum, seventy-six thousand kilometers away from your current location.**"

Perfect, that's not far at all.

"Put us on an intercept course at full speed, and give me an ETA."

"**Acknowledged. Setting thrusters to maximum output. Estimated time of arrival to destination is: Fifteen minutes.**"

"Care to explain to me what it is you're doing?!"

You throw on the boosters, grab Yorshk by the arm, and speed down the hallway. Along the way, you explain the details.

"Okay, so a while back, there was this teleporter accident, and we made a really tough Tiny Oni hybrid that we had to throw out the airlock just to deal with it. And he's just been chilling out there ever since."

"Wait. Stop... You made a Tiny Oni that can survive in the vacuum of space?!"

You groan.

"_It was an accident!_"

You make a turn, and Yorshk has to hold on with her tentacles to keep from getting thrown off.

"So what I was thinking was, why don't we lure junior off the ship, and let them duke it out?"

"That's a terrible idea, and calling that thing junior is tasteless!"

"Hey, parental rights! It came out of me, I can call it whatever I want!"

Yorshk looks at you with that concerned face again.

You speed up a little bit more until she's screaming in soprano while clinging onto you for dear life.

"**Slow doooooowwwwwwwnnnnnn!**"

You feel _much_ better now.

.

..

...

..

.

Five minutes pass, and you arrive at the quarantine zone with Yorshk in tow. The emergency shutters are down, but you should have no issues raising them for a couple of seconds.

Before you can move though, Yorshk stops you.

"So, how exactly do you plan to get it off the ship?"

You make a large circle with your hands.

"Engineering has a path that leads right to the thruster shafts, Once we get close enough, I'll shut them off, and lure it out that way."

Yorshk shakes her head.

"And just how do you plan to do th-"

A loud bang on the opposite side of the door startles the both of you.

There's a heavy dent in the shutter now...

"Look, we're outta time. Once we're in there, you do whatever you want; I already know where I'm headed."

"Ready?"

Yorshk nods, and you enter your passcode.

.

..

...

"Yin Eater Sixty-Nine? What are you, a _child?_"

You didn't realize that she was looking over your shoulder.

"Don't judge me."

The shutter raises up, and on the other end... everything looks normal.

All of the lights are on.

The systems all seem to be running fine.

The only thing that's missing is the staff.

You step past the shutters with Yorshk, and they drop back down after five seconds pass.

.

..

...

You feel the floor rumble underneath you again... and your motion tracker starts beeping.

You look at the indicator... and see at least fifty dots closing in on you, but...

"Yorshk, my motion tracker says there's a bunch of movement in here, but-"

"**Hgk!**"

You turn, and gasp at Yorshk as she looks down in disbelief at the curved appendage that's just pierced her torso from below. It lifts her off the ground, and with a sharp flick, sends her limp form flying down the hall.

You turn towards the path on your right...

And you're overwhelmed by disgust as you look upon the thing that nearly killed you.

The body itself is fat, limbless, nearly translucent, and bloated, with thick mucus dripping off of it as it quickly slithers towards you and. Its jaw juts out at an odd angle, clearly deformed, with another set of teeth melding into the other like melted wax. What's most disturbing is the lack of a lower half. Dozens upon dozens of flailing tendrils snake out from behind it, forming constantly shifting patterns. Some are short, while others are as long as its entire body. The heavier ones that drag across the floor leave deep gashes behind them.

As it gets closer, you realize that they're all Bakunawa tails.

The jaws try to open, but only manage to do so partway. Even so, the roar that follows is so loud that it physically causes you pain.

You stumble to the ground in its path. You look up...

And shield your eyes as a massive wave of ice intercepts the creature, and freezes off several of its tails.

The creature cries out in discomfort, and quickly turns back down the path it came until it makes another turn, and disappears.

"You okay, man?"

You whirl around with your plasma cutters at the ready, and see a Tiny Oni staring you down.

"You better not swing those things at me, man. I'll mess you up."

"Tony, don't threaten her! We need all the help we can get..."

Next to him, is one of the human stowaways that Nile and Ark mentioned while you and Avi were repairing the thruster earlier. This one has blue hair, and a strange hairstyle...

But what bothers you, is the fact that she's got the scythe that you made for Nyx slung over her shoulders. _How is she using that?_

Unless... you're looking at the Mimic right now.

You quickly put some distance between her and yourself.

"Okay, first things first. You're gonna give me that weapon before you bring this whole place down. It's super unstable. And second, what are you doing down here?"

The Tiny Oni chimes in.

"Hey, we've been putting the work in all night, man. We know what we're doin'."

"I didn't ask you, shortstack!"

"Mickayla... It's time... to go..."

You turn around, and see Yorshk limping towards the three of you. She's bleeding heavily from her midsection, and the wound is covered in that mucus.

She makes it five more steps before collapsing to the ground.

Something changes in the Mimic's face, like a switch being turned on.

Within seconds, her clothes, face, and body have all morphed into the form she had when she was first thrown in the brig. The process is disturbingly fast. She runs over towards Yorshk, and supports her back.

"What are you doing here?!"

You decide right away that her natural voice is extremely annoying.

Yorshk's voice comes out in deep rasps.

"You... you need... to... go home. Ven is..."

Yorshk reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a small bottle, but it slips out of her fingers, and falls in between the grate below.

She's looks down for a moment, then back at her wound with blank eyes.

She looks delirious. That mucus might be poisonous...

You could help stop the bleeding with one of your health blocks, but you would need to exit your suit to properly administer it. You look at the timer. You have **six minutes** before your window of opportunity closes, and you'll need to find another way to deal with the creature.

You hear the rumbling again. You don't have much time.

What will you do?

[] Leave Mickayla, Tony, and Yorshk to fend for themselves - You'll lure it away, and set your plan into action by yourself.

**[X] Try to help Yorshk, and explain your plan to Mickayla, and Tony - The Mimic seems to have no problems keeping the creature at bay, maybe after you stabilize Yorshk, they might be able to help you herd it towards the thruster shaft.**

[] Leave them, and go find Ark, Wake, and the real human. - Yorshk may have helped save your life, but you also need to find the others, and make sure they're alright too. She's strong enough to hold on for a bit longer.

Yorshk mumbles something unintelligible, and reaches a hand into her coat. She pulls out a small jar full of a green paste, and tries to open it, but her trembling hands drop the jar on the ground, and it rolls over towards you.

She's going to die if you don't help her.

You quickly eject yourself from the suit, ignoring the light as it hits your sensitive eyes. You summon your syringe, pick up the paste, and quickly move towards her and Mickayla. She sets Yorshk down on the floor, and looks towards you.

"I gotta keep that thing away. Can you fix her?"

You shake your head, uncertain.

"I'm gonna try."

Behind you, Tony screams.

"**It's comin' back, man!**"

Four sharp tails launch themselves from around a corner and speed towards you. Tony is the first among you to react, and he leaps into the air, grabbing the tails in one large bundle, and snapping the bones inside.

The creature screeches in pain, and the tails quickly retract. Mickayla swings the scythe down, and a wall of ice blocks the path. A part of you wonders how she's using that thing without it going completely haywire, but now isn't the time to ask questions.

Something slams into the ice, and several large cracks appear.

Without wasting anymore time, you pull out a health block, and load it into the syringe. Normally this could be administered orally, but you need to get this into her body as fast as possible. You gently insert the needle into Yorshk's thigh, and press down on the plunger. She gasps, and her eyes almost immediately clear back up. She points to the jar in your other hand.

"Slather it... on the wound... It'll buy some time."

You carefully roll up her coat and undershirt, and grimace. The tail that pierced her must have hit her core on the way through, because you can see a deep crack in the exposed piece sticking out of her innards. The actual condition her the core makes you even more concerned... she's clearly been in need of a cleaning for a very long time. Even if this stuff can neutralize the poison... it may already be too late. You quickly spread the paste around the area.

.

..

...

To your surprise, Yorshk's breathing seems to come steadier with each moment that passes.

When she looks towards you again, her eyes are focused and her face is full of genuine gratitude.

"...Thank you."

She tries to get up, and nearly falls back down from the pain. You manage to grab her by the shoulders, and hold her up until she's steady on her feet. She takes a deep breath, and several tentacles sprout from her hair and travel underneath the grate where the bottle from before fell.

A second passes, and they quickly retract, placing a small bottle back into her waiting palm before disappearing.

"Mickayla... Tony. Come here."

The two have been watching the ice for any sudden attacks, but when Yorshk calls them, they both quickly snap to attention, and turn around.

"...I need the two of you to listen... carefully."

As Yorshk discusses something with them, you get back inside your suit. The motion tracker shows three dots moving just behind the ice wall.

Something smashes against it again, and a chunk of ice shatters...

.

..

...

Ark, Wake, and one of the human stowaways all come charging through the hole in the ice. The latter seems to be cursing up a storm in Snowverian. Mickayla quickly lays down another barrier, and Ark slugs her in the face.

"I thought I told you to stop swinging that thing! Do you want to get us all killed?!"

Clearly fed up with tonight, you watch as the Mimic snaps back.

"I've been trying to _keep_ us all from getting killed you a-hole!"

Yorshk is looking at the bottle in her hand as if she's strongly considering something.

Her eyes look dimmer than they were a minute ago.

Wait. _Minutes!_

You glance down at the timer. Two minutes left.

You're wasting too much time watching this argument!

You yell as loud as you can.

"Now is not the time!"

Everyone goes quiet...

Then the creature bursts through the ice, catching everyone off-guard. It slams a tail into Rain's shield, and scrapes an inch of metal off the top. Another one strikes the same spot, and shatters the shield, sending her skidding across the ground.

Wake slings Rain across her shoulder, and readies her rifle, but Ark quickly throws a hand across the barrel to stop her.

"No, you idiot! We're in engineering, nearly everything here is combustible!"

Ark slings her anchor at the creature's face. It rears back on its torso from the impact, and dozens of tails start to rip though its underbelly. They twist and curl together until they form a bizarre facsimile of two pairs of legs...

Mickayla and Tony are already halfway down the hall.

You're pretty sure that out of everyone here, they've got the right idea.

You grab Yorshk, hold her against your suit, and hit the boosters. You trust Wake and Ark to take care of themselves; At this point, you're going to have to hope that it follows you instead of them.

You follow the fastest path to the thruster shaft, then check the time.

One minute and twenty seconds. You're not going to make it!

You feel something squishy wrapping around your actual midsection. You look down, and realize that Yorshk has managed to squeeze inside the suit, and mold herself around you like a second skin.

This is totally not creepy at all.

You hear her voice echo in your suit.

"I have... a plan, but I need... you to turn around."

You can hear something heavy stomping behind you. You really don't wanna turn around.

"Tate. Please stop... I don't have much time left."

...What?

You immediately come to a halt and open the hatch. Yorshk slides off of you and onto the floor like a pile of gelatin. She can barely keep her shape. She tries to change back into her human form, but only manages to succeed halfway. Everything below her damaged core is a milky-white goop that's slowly starting to crystalize.

She's dying... All the medicine did was slow it down.

Some of the substance stretches towards you, and places a small bottle in your hands.

"Beholder's tears... enough for a one way trip..."

You grab her hand, and she squeezes back tightly.

"Think of... someone... and they'll take you right... there."

"Don't try to talk!"

Yorshk shakes her head. The light in her eyes is almost gone now.

"In Otecho... I need you to find... Doctor Stolas."

Her lower half moves away to reveal an old satchel. There's a near faded image of three smiling Kunekune on the front flap with a logo underneath that's too worn to read.

"Give that to her... She'll know what to do with it..."

The crystallization spreads past the puddle, and up onto her shoulders.

You try to move your hand, and cry out when her entire right arms snaps off.

Her face is stony, but you can see the tears streaming from her eyes.

"...Is there anything you want me to tell someone?"

She opens her mouth... but her eyes go wide as she stares behind you.

Her tentacles come together one last time to shove you out of the way as the creature barrels forward and snatches Yorshk in its jaws, crushing her core in the process.

You watch, paralyzed, as the creature raises its head, and swallows her remains.

**(Yorshk has died.)**

"_**Yorrrrrrrrrrrssssssssssshk!**_"

You turn your head away, and see Wake screaming as she raises her rifle up to shoot. Ark quickly restrains her, and Wake collapses to the ground, sobbing and screaming.

The creature's attentions turn back toward you. It raises several of its tails.

You scramble back into your suit, and blink away your tears. The bottle in your hand breaks, and you can see a light surrounding you. The creature lunges forward with its tails, and you manage to grab one while the rest scrape against your suit.

The light intensifies, and you shut your eyes.

You feel a sudden yank, and you're pulled at a vicious speed for several seconds. The creature screams and roars the entire time until suddenly...

.

..

...

..

.

You can't hear anything except the sound of your own breathing. You open your eyes, and see the outside of the Tenebro.

You look just behind it, and see Solum.

Something smashes into you, and sends you flying. Your stabilizers quickly kick in, and you manage to stop yourself before you get flung too far.

You turn around, and see a sight you never thought you'd ever be happy to see.

The lifeform known as Pengy Crunch'n, is currently straddled on the back of the creature, ripping right into its tissue without any regard for the acidity of its blood. It bucks around wildly, and tries to throw him off, but every time one of its tails comes close, Pengy simply catches it with his teeth and tears it apart.

You're grateful that the sounds don't carry into space. It's horrifying just to watch this.

The creature rears back again...

And its sides rupture as hundreds more writhing tentacles burst from within and snatch Pengy from off its back. Pengy effortlessly breaks through the tentacles, but more take their place... with each new batch becoming sturdier than the last.

Eventually the tentacles become so thick, that they're nearly half the girth as the creature. This time, Pengy can't break free, and as he struggles against the bindings, the creature's current orbital path begins to decay.

It's heading for Solum.

You hit the thrusters... but they're comepletely unresponsive. You must have burned through the entire fuel cell.

You try to radio someone for help.

"Nile! Ark! Is there anyone listening?"

You only hear the crackle of static, and nothing more.

The creature is getting further away now, and there's nothing you can do about it.

As you drift alone in the vacuum of space, you have never felt more helpless in your life than you do right now.

.

..

...

It's _infuriating_.

_None of this is fair. _

_The people that died._

_The monster that came out of you._

The sacrifice a complete stranger made, just to save your life twice... _**and all for nothing...!**_

You clench your hands, and curl in on yourself. Your tears are running freely inside of your suit, as you cry.

Not just from sadness.

But from **indignation**.

You feel a deep well of energy pulsing from within your core, and your suit flickers to life in response.

It's so overwhelming, that you feel the need to scream.

Your body seems to move on its own as your limbs stretch out as far as they can, and you scream at the top of your lungs.

Somehow, in the soundless void... it carries.

"_**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_"

A shockwave of energy surges from you, and several small asteroids in your vicinity are evaporated in its wake.

You activate your thrusters, and quickly catch up to the creature in its descent. Pengy looks at you, then shrugs, clearly unimpressed.

You don't care.

You don't know how long this energy will last, but you're going to do everything in your power to absolutely destroy this abomination, even if it kills you.

What will you do?

[] Convert all of your energy into one shot... and kill it in one blow.

[] Get in close... and rip it to shreds.

**[X] Set Pengy free... and tag-team this thing.**


	20. Arc 2: Part 17

You close in on the group of tentacles holding Pengy. One of the thicker tentacles races towards you, but despite the massive difference in size you grab it, halting it's advance effortlessly. You activate your plasma cutters, but the energy output from your core is so powerful, that several beams shoot out of the fingertips of your suit instead.

The beams slice the entire appendage open, and you quickly disengage before you can get caught in the spray of acid that spews from the wound. The beams travel through another tentacle, and the creature loosens its hold on Pengy long enough for him to get a hand free. He looks toward you, and you quickly move in, and take his hand.

This proves to be a mistake, as he rips the gauntlet off of your suit as if it were made of paper, then hurls you overhead.

Even in your energized state, the inertia is so strong that it takes you nearly an entire minute before the thrusters can slow down your spin enough for you to get your bearings. When you finally turn around, you see several beams speeding towards you, and twist out of the way, just before they can pierce your torso.

Your residual energy seems to still be powering the gauntlet, even though it's been detached from the rest of the suit, and Pengy quickly puts it to use as the fires several beams point-blank into the creature's remaining skin. The beams burst out from the other side, along with another cloud of acid that hangs in the space around it. Soon, Pengy fires more and more lasers, causing the creature to scream soundlessly into the void. The acid cloud increases in volume until it becomes a fog that completely obscures your vision of the battle. A severed tentacle comes hurtling towards you faster than you can dodge.

Fortunately, you don't need to.

The appendage slams into your open palms, and pushes you back several feet before stopping entirely. You cast it aside, then turn back to the fog.

.

..

...

A tentacle nearly half the size of the Tenebro breaks through the fog and dispels it. On the side of it, you see Pengy trying to use the plasma cutter again, but it looks like the overcharge has completely drained. You look back at the creature, and grimace in disgust.

Nearly all of the skin has been torn away and replaced by pulsating tentacles and deformed Bakunawa tails. You watch as its jaws stretch forward, and the flesh connecting it to the rest of its body shifts and tears until it splits open right down the middle. Inside, a network of oversized veins pump blood into what looks like... fragments of a core.

Your core.

Apparently, it couldn't break down and digest the pieces it ate before, and it's body must have incorporated them into itself as it grew. The fragments themselves only make up a small part of the actual organ they're attached to; a fleshy imitation of a Mogwai core.

Just looking at it makes you sick.

On top of the giant tentacle, Pengy continues to make his stand. One tail manages to cut his leg open, rendering him unable to move. Another wraps around his torso, and pulls him towards the creature's core. He thrashes and screams as the flesh core sprouts several smaller tendrils that hold him in place as the seam closes back, enveloping him completely.

You ready the plasma cannon on your shoulder and take aim, but the giant tentacle smashes against your side before you can fire the shot. The blow shatters the entire right side of your suit, rendering it completely useless. You hit the eject button and escape just as a set of tails pierce the suit, and pull it apart.

You glide towards the base of the tentacle, and a flailing mass of appendages form a barricade all around you.

Escape is no longer an option.

You've seen enough of what this thing is capable of to realize that a head on confrontation likely won't work. It only seems to grow in size with each wound that is sustains, but enough damage seems to cause it to expose its core for a short time.

You still don't know if Pengy is alive in there, but if he is... all you may need to do is stall until he breaks free.

However, you don't know how long you can last. Despite the loss of your suit... you still feel the power within you. If anything, without the suit to siphon the excess energy, you feel even stronger than before. Dangerously so. Like a dam about to burst. Rather than bet on Pengy's assistance again, you could try to take the creature on yourself, and hopefully figure out how to discharge some of this energy in the process.

Several tails break off from the barricade, and race toward you.

What will you do?

[] Play it safe, and stall for time - You doubt Pengy will go down that easy. With enough time, he'll likely do your job for you.

[] Go on the offensive, and destroy the core - You're tough enough now to take a hit head on, you'll let instinct figure out the rest. All that matters is that you kill this thing with your own two hands.

**[X] Focus inwards - You're drawing on the strength of three cores now. The timing may be poor, but you need to learn how to harness the strength you've been given before it overwhelms you completely.**

You close your eyes, and time slows down to a crawl.

Inside your chest, the combined cores of Nyx, Yorshk, and Wake pulse with energy. For the first time since receiving them, you let the remaining part of your own core resonate with theirs.

A strange sensation passes through your core as you feel something being impressed onto it.

They aren't quite memories in the traditional sense, but are more like small imprints of knowledge and past experiences. Still, the collective muscle memories of a Reaper, and two former Militia members is enough to give you all the fighting edge you'll need.

You open your eyes.

.

..

...

And time resumes.

As the tails continue their charge towards you, the tips of your fingers start to grow unnaturally cold. Once they're within reach, you snap an arm forward, and a stream of ice shoots out, instantly flash freezing the tails. You reach up to tap one with your finger, and it shatters all the way down to the root. The entire barricade shudders, and two large tentacles disengage from it, snapping down towards you like a pair of whips.

You push off the surface of the giant tentacle you've been standing on, and dodge towards your right. The first one smashes into the surface, causing the skin to split open. The second tentacle changes course mid-swing in an attempt to crush you against the barricade.

You swing your arms in a wide arc, sending several magic icicles flying into the tentacle. As they pierce the flesh, it recoils, giving you enough time to dive back down again.

If this thing doesn't like ice, then you'll give it as much as it can stand!

Once you land, you place both hands on the exposed flesh and grab it. The ice magic flows from your fingers again, and you watch as the appendage darkens in color, signifying rapid tissue death. The entire barricade responds by coming apart and rushing towards you from every side. You ignore them, and focus on freezing as much of the creature as you can manage.

A crack forms in the frozen flesh underneath your feet, and you raise your fists above your head in preparation for the final blow.

You slam down, and the tentacle beneath you shatters into a thousand tiny pieces. You can see the flesh core exposed again near the base of the body where your ice didn't reach. Inside, you can see Pengy's hand protruding through the mass and flailing about weakly.

Before you can move in to rescue him, a deformed tail pierces you through the heel of your foot, and continues through the knee, effectively skewering you in place, as dozens more tentacles close in on you. You try to use your ice again, but two thick sets of tentacles wrap around your hands and crush them to a pulp.

In that moment, Your world is filled with nothing but searing hot agony.

You scream, and all of the strength and adrenaline leaves your body. The tentacles carry you towards the core, and the surrounding flesh depresses as if to make room for you.

You try to struggle, but each movement sends a fresh wave of pain through your hands much too strong to ignore.

The tentacles press your body onto the flesh core, and you watch as thousands of tiny little tendrils emerge from within... and bury themselves in your skin. They don't hurt, but you can feel something being siphoned from you.

A wall of flesh closes around you... and a primal sense of fear takes hold.

No.

Nonononono.

Not like this!

You can't die like this!

You try in vain to move your body, but the tendrils have you firmly rooted in place...

You aren't going anywhere.

You reach into your core... and find that nearly all the energy that fueled you before is being drained by the creature as it uses you like a living battery.

You have no more strength left to draw on...

Yet as you continue to search within yourself... you feel something ancient, and powerful thrum to life.

Unlike the other cores, it feels familiar in a strange sense... Like a part of yourself that's always been there, but had been tucked away until this moment.

You reach out, and....

**[X] Awaken.**

**[X] Awaken.**

**[X] Awaken.**

.

..

...

..

.

You are **Nyx Ronove**... and right now, you are mentally, and physically exhausted...

Following Nile's orders, you've been placed in the brig with Belle for the last few hours, and no one has been willing to give you any straight answers. Belle has cloistered herself away in the far corner of the room, hugging her knees, and sniffling... She's been uncharacteristically skittish since the two of you were brought here. When she finally did start talking, the story she told you, was very concerning, to say the least.

According to her, Rain suffered a fatal wound, but had... something done to her that healed the wound completely. You asked her to describe what happened, but she adamantly refuses, only agreeing to describe the Mog that did it.

To your surprise... the description immediately makes you think of that Mimic from the sewers. You doubt that Mickayla would willingly do harm to someone, but you'll make sure to ask her about it the next time you see her.

Without warning, the entire ship shakes violently, causing you to spring to your feet. You hear the doors to the brig open, and you take a step back from the bars.

Much to your surprise, You're greeted by a very distressed looking Mickayla. Behind her is an equally upset Tony.

In Mick's hands is the scythe that you saw in the armory before. She pulls it back for a side swing...

But Tony presses a card to a panel on the side of the door, causing the bars to slide open, and Mick to quickly lower her stance.

You half expected some sort of exchange, but neither one looks to be up to it. Mick looks at Belle, and takes a couple of steps back. Her head is still tucked to her chest, and her breathing is deep. Despite all of the discourse... she's fallen asleep.

"Yorshk asked me to bust you out." Her voice is quiet, and subdued, not like her at all...

She tosses the scythe to you, and you catch it. Just like before, the blade glows in response to your grip on it. Mick and Tony both turn to leave without a word, but you call out to them before they leave.

"W-Wait. What happened?"

Tony keeps walking, but Mick turns around with deep sigh. There's tears in her eyes.

"There was a fight in engineering. Yorshk... didn't make it."

Your eyes widen in shock... but you can't bring yourself to feel any genuine sorrow for her death. If anything, your concern immediately snaps to the well-being of Io, and the other patients back at the hospital. With Yorshk gone... who's going to take care of them?

You nod your head sadly.

"...And what a-a-about the things onboard?"

"They're all dead. I think the big one ate the rest."

"Big one?!"

Mick shakes her head, clearly frustrated, and starts to jog away.

"It's outside the ship with that Bakunawa. Look, if you wanna stay and try to play hero, do what you want! I found the escape pods, so I'm taking Tony, and going home before someone else tries to blame me for something!"

"Wait!"

Mickayla and Tony turn the corner at the end of the brig, and disappear.

You don't go after them.

The ship shakes again, but this time... You hear something akin to a roar echo all around you.

Or maybe a wail?

You leave Belle, and exit the brig in search of the nearest window.

You find one... and the sight beyond the glass makes your jaw drop in awe...

In the distance, just above Solum, you see the form of a colossally large Mogwai breaking free from a clutch of countless tentacles.

Its underside is a pale pink, with hundreds, if not, thousands of graspers running underneath it's serpent-like body. The lower half terminates ends with a giant arrow shaped tail, while its upper half is a covered with a billowing membrane that flows out from either side, changing colors between purple, cyan, and white. It reminds you of a sea creature that you and your Eve once saw while traveling...

You watch as the giant opens its gaping maw. The black sclera and ice blue eyes that stare coldly at the mass of flesh writhing between its coils leave no doubt in your mind as to who it is that you're looking at right now.

"...T-Tate?"

What will you do?

**[X] Watch.**

[] Intervene.


	21. Arc 2: Part 18

You stand by the window, transfixed by the sight in front of you.

For a moment, you consider finding a space suit, and throwing yourself out of the nearest airlock in a bid to help Tate... but you quickly decide against it. You're more likely to get in the way than anything else.

All you can do now... is believe in her.

Outside, Tate tightens her grip on the creature, and more writhing innards erupt from the exposed skin like a tube of toothpaste being squeezed. She lunges forward at the mass, but dozens of... what appear to be misshapen Bakunawa tails, dart forward from the creature, and stab into her underbelly.

Tate roars in pain, and you can see her coils start to loosen. The creature shifts enough for you to see its mouth just before it latches onto her with its teeth, causing Tate to release her hold completely. The creature's entire mass pulses like a human heart, and suddenly, all of the tentacles flailing about begin moving in unison until they've covered the entire lower half of Tate's body. The mass undulates again... and takes a shape disturbingly similar to a Mog core.

The tentacles hold Tate in place as the tails begin violently lacerating her body. One reaches high enough to slice a deep cut just above her right eye, sending a giant spurt of blood flying through space. Tate ignores the cut, and lunges again. She manages to get a hold of multiple tentacles, severing their hold with a brutal snap of her jaws. Acid blood splatters across her body in wide swaths, but her hide seems completely unaffected by it. The tentacles holding onto her torso squeeze down, but Tate rears back and lunges once more... this time, her jaw connects with the head of the creature.

She bites down... and amid the spray of blood and ichor that erupts, the entire mass pulses violently for several seconds until it goes limp. She gnashes her teeth again, and it thrashes to life once more, whipping back and forth desperately in an attempt to escape.

You notice something vaguely humanoid shaped pull itself from out a tear in the creature's flesh. Unable to change course, it falls towards Solum, and disappears in the atmosphere over the ocean.

You look back towards Tate, and wince. She's been biting down on that thing so hard, that its head is nearly split in two. Despite the fatal wound... it continues to cling desperately to life, thrashing and lacerating anything that its tails and tentacles can get a hold of. Tate rears back, this time much farther than before. This is clearly meant to be a killing blow.

She lunges.

...And a well-aimed tail pierces the roof of her mouth and exits out the back of her skull.

Her entire body goes still.

And then the color in her eyes disappears...

You slam your fists against the window, and scream.

"**Taaaaaaaaaaaate!**"

(**Tate has died.**)

.

..

...

You slide down the wall, and onto your knees, sobbing at the unfairness of it all.

The thoughts come unbidden.

_If she hadn't come looking for you, she never would've been put in danger._

_You never should have taken this job._

_All you're ever good for is ruining the lives of everyone around you._

_Belle and Rain are traumatized... Yorshk is dead... and now Io's going to die... and it's all your fault._

_ **Everything's your fault.** _

Deep down, you know that these thoughts are irrational... but you listen to them anyway, and gasp as you feel a terribly familiar emptiness take hold of you once more...

You sob.

"P-Please... no."

You clutch the sides of your head, and grit your teeth.

"I can't go back to this..."

You though this miserable feeling was behind you... but losing your new friend in such a horrible way...

"I'm so sorry, Tate..."

You let your grief wash over you...

And then you feel something shift in the air.

You slowly get to your feet, and look back out the window.

.

..

...

A dark orb of energy gathers at the back of Tate's throat, growing rapidly in size until it's large enough to be seen from Solum. The tentacles quickly retract into the main body of the creature as tries to disentangle itself from Tate. Before it can get away, her eyes flicker back to life, and she runs the entire length of her tail through the creature, skewering it.

(**Tate has revived!**)

With a flick of her tail, the creature's body is ripped open. The energy gathering at Tate's maw reaches its critical point, and shoots out of her mouth in a brilliant kaleidoscope of pink, blue, and purple. The beam slams into the creature and continues far past it into the void of space. The light becomes so bright, that you have to shield your eyes from the glow with your arm.

.

..

...

You eventually move your arm, and look back outside the window.

Outside, you can just make out Tate's human form floating limply in orbit.

You see no sign of the creature left.

It's over.

It's finally over...

You notice movement out of the corner of your eyes.

At first glance, it looks like an asteroid... but after a few seconds, you can see the tell-tale gleam of metal and technology on the sides.

It's a satellite.

There's actually six of them.

You hadn't noticed it before, but they're in a perfect orbit around Solum.

One of them opens up like a flower... and you can see a buildup of energy similar to what you just witnessed moments ago.

You suddenly remember a conversation that you had with Eve and Klein during an outing to Aeros. It was a really minor conversation, but the topic had gone back to the events that happened at the Den.

You can still picture the relief on Eve's face as you recall her words.

"_Well about that... see, Cache explained to me that there's actually a whole bunch of laser satellites in orbit set to go off if they detect some crazy power output. It's actually pretty scary to imagine what might have happened if we didn't save the day when we did..._"

You watch as the others begin the same boot-up process as the first.

...They're going to destroy Solum!

You watch as the energy of the first satellite output grows larger and larger...

Before something streaks past, and slices it in half. The energy immediately dissipates... And one by one, something flashes by, and destroys the satellites faster than you can keep up with.

Once the final satellite is gone, the streak of light slows down...

And reveals itself to be none other than Han. While not nearly as large as Tate's newly awakened Mogwai form, Han's draconic countenance is still plenty intimidating. Though for once in your life, you're well and truly grateful for her presence here.

You had no idea she could move that fast... Was she holding back when she fought Eve?

You watch as Han looks towards the Tenebro, and narrows her eyes. She grabs Tate with her claw, then flies underneath the ship, and out of your field of vision. You're thrown to the floor as something slams into the ship.

Several seconds later. You hear Nile's voice over the speaker system.

She sounds... nervous.

"**To our guest in the docking bay... My name is Nile Foras, and I'm the Captain of H.M.S. Tenebro. Everyone on board this vessel is a Solumite, and we mean no harm. I'm sending my specimen collector to bring you to the bridge so we can discuss things... in a peaceful manner. Please wait where you are until then.**"

The speakers shut off, and you stare numbly at it.

Apparently, you've just been volunteered to go and fetch Han.

You take a deep breath, and exhale.

Yeah. After everything that's happened, you don't even care.

You take a long, slow walk towards the docking bay.

.

..

...

..

.

When you finally reach the docking bay, you see Han sitting on her knees in the center of the room with Tate draped across her lap. Her hand is sparkling with a healing spell as she gently strokes her hair.

She notices your presence and nods, but doesn't stop her ministrations.

"I saw the battle from the ground, and had to intervene. She's just barely clinging to life right now... Her will to live is rather strong."

"Y-Yeah. Tate's really something s-special."

"You two are friends?" The lilt in Han's voice as she speaks makes it sound like she's genuinely interested in the answer.

"...She saved m-my life."

"Is that why she has a part of your core inside of her?"

You flinch, but Han raises a hand.

"I needed to see the damage before I started treating her... I recognize this work. Yorshk is here, isn't she?"

You flinch again.

"I've been looking over some of the stipulations of my agreement with the hospital she's on loan to... and I need to organize a meeting with her and the head of staff to re-negotiate. I stopped by the hospital earlier today to check in with her, only to find some dim-witted Tanuki posing as a stand-in. I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't lie to me. Where is she? I owe her an apology... at the very least."

You take a deep breath, and break the news to her.

"S-She's dead."

The hand on Tate's head pauses mid-stroke, and Han purses her lips together, letting no emotion show.

"I see... were any other deaths here? I saw core dust on the ground here..."

You sigh.

"Too many..."

She gets up, and gently cradles Tate in her arms as she does so.

"Then, I suppose I'll need to speak to with the Captain before I make any rash decisions. Please, take me to her. You're clearly more familiar with this ship than I am."

She looks toward you expectantly, and you turn back towards the entrance, and walk.

After a moment, she falls into step beside you with Tate in tow.

"You aren't a-a-angry?"

Her reply is direct.

"There is a human vessel in orbit around Solum being helmed by Mogwai, an abyssal Bakunawa showed up in the skies all over the world fighting an alien, and one of my former Generals is dead for reasons I don't yet know. Make no mistake, Nyx, I am _**very much**_ incensed right now, and it would be in your best interest to stop talking for the time being."

In the back of your head, you realize that despite the circumstances, she sounds far more confident than the last time you two spoke.

You guess she decided to take your advice, and start acting like the Queen that she is.

You swallow the lump in your throat, and say nothing else for the remainder of your trip.

You're grateful to her for saving Tate. Not antagonizing her is the least you can do.

The two of you reach the bridge with no interruptions along the way. It seems like all of the remaining staff has gathered here, likely to get an accurate head count. Avi is sitting at the helm, looking over several screens. She’s clearly frustrated about something, but you aren't sure what.

Ark is sitting with a group of pengineers, throwing her arm over the shoulder of one as they grieve over the loss of their friends and co-workers. She looks over towards Tate's limp form in Han's arms, and her eye widens with surprise, before her entire body goes slack with relief. She goes back to consoling her group, and you continue through the crowd with Han and Tate.

At some point, Belle must have been brought to the bridge, because now she's sitting on the floor, huddled between a shell-shocked Rain, and scowling Wake. The latter sits several inches away from the rest, wringing her hat between her hands.

She sees Han, and immediately stands at attention with her eye staring forward in spite of the tears that are threatening to spill out.

"Yer Majesty."

Han shakes her head sadly.

"Please, rest. We can discuss your part in this later."

"...Aye."

Han looks as though she wants to say something else, but thinks better of it. You imagine they were probably going to be words of sympathy, but they likely would've have been false. You doubt there was any love lost between her and Yorshk.

The entire bridge goes quiet as the two of you stop in front of Nile. She's doing her best to appear unfazed, but you can see the tremors in her folded arms. You watch as Han gently sets Tate on the floor before turning back to Nile with a neutral stare.

"Greetings. My name is-"

"**Silence.**"

The command leaves her throat, and it echoes across the room with an air of absolute authority, causing Nile to flinch back in response.

"I don't want to hear a single word from you until I ask you for it myself. Is that clear?"

"...Yes."

Han nods, and narrows her eyes.

"Good. Now, introduce yourself."

Nile takes a shaky breath, and readjusts the glasses on her face before starting again.

"...My name is Nile Foras, and I am the Captain of the H.M.S. Tenebro."

"Were you born on Solum?"

"Yes."

"Then how did you come into the possession of this ship?"

"...I am the last living member of its original crew."

Han looks nonplussed for a moment, but she quickly reaches a realization.

"You were a Conjurer from before the Great War, then?"

Nile nods.

"Yes."

Han's tail slaps against the ground with an audible thump.

"...Are you aware of the laws made against ownership of personal spacecraft?"

Nile looks towards the floor for a split-second, and Han's tail hits the ground again. This time hard enough to make a dent in the paneling.

"**Answer my question.**"

"Nile, just tell her."

You look over, and see Ark staring at her wife pleadingly.

Nile takes another breath, and a sniffle comes out.

She looks as though she's in mourning.

"...Yes."

Han's line of questioning continues without any respite.

"If you are aware of the laws, and their consequences... then why would you keep this ship?"

"I needed it for my work."

"What kind of work do you perform, exactly?"

"...Research, cataloguing, and archiving. Occasionally, we introduce foreign flora and fauna to Solum if we think they can help restore the ecosystem."

"Why?"

Nile looks completely thrown off by the question. To be fair, you are too.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Han shrugs, then let's her arms fall back down to her sides.

"I cannot get anymore straightforward than 'why'. You were aware that what you've done is a treasonable offense, yet you did it anyway. I think I can assume that you've been doing this for many years. Why? What do you have to gain from this?"

"It's a hobby of sorts for me."

Nile's answer rolls off of her tongue far too fast for anyone to take the response seriously, but Han doesn't call her out on it. Instead, she turns her attention to the rest of the room.

"And what about the rest of you? Why are all of you here?"

At first, you think that she's playing at something, but you realize that it's a genuine question. She walks around the room, asking everyone about their jobs, how they found out about the Tenebro, why they signed on... and about what went wrong. When she gets to Belle and Rain, they share their side of the story as well.

She comes to Wake, and when she asks her to explain her side of the story, she tells her about how Ven asked Yorshk to look into a distress signal, and everything that happened afterwards.

For whatever reason, you notice that not a single person mentions Mickayla or Tony in their recollections.

Throughout the entire process, Han's face remains passive.

Han looks back at Nile, who is staring down at the floor, unwilling to meet the Queen's gaze.

"So, not just specimen collecting, but weapon development as well? Everything that took place here, happened just so that you could indulge a hobby? Is that what you're telling me?"

Nile's eyes widen at the accusation.

"I can explain everything if you just give me a mo-"

A white hand strikes Nile across the face with enough force to leave several harsh-looking welts on her cheek. To her credit, she doesn't stumble backwards.

Ark roars, and jumps to her feet, lunging at Han.

Han grabs her by the shoulders, killing all of her momentum, then fixes her with a hard stare.

"**Behave yourself.**"

Ark stares back with her one good eye, undaunted.

"I don’t care if you're the Queen! Don't you dare put your hands on her!"

You step in, and side with Ark.

"Han, nobody e-expected any of this to h-happen. Don't be so hard on them."

Han, scoffs, then let’s go of Ark. She backs away, shaking her head all the while.

"...None of you get it, do you? Accidental or not, your actions nearly brought ruin to Solum! And even worse, I guarantee that they've attracted the attention of forces far greater than myself, and it is only a matter of time before they realize that the satellite grid has been destroyed, and come looking for answers."

She looks back towards Nile.

"And who exactly, do you think will be the one that has to placate them?"

Nile says nothing.

Han scowls.

"This ship... I want it _destroyed_. Set it down somewhere, and strip everything from it. Relocate the animals, and destroy all of the data logs. Leave nothing that can be salvaged."

"No! You can't do that!"

Ark yells loud enough to make your ears hurt, but Han ignores her.

"Either the ship goes, or I send you all to rot in the deepest pit that I can find. Be grateful that I'm even offering this as a choice."

Nile raises her head, and nods almost imperceptibly. Tears are running freely down her face.

"I accept your terms."

"Good."

"**Raaaaaahggggh!**"

Ark howls in anger, and several pengineers have to hold her back to keep her from lunging at Han again.

Han remains unmoved.

She turns back to Rain and Belle, beckoning the both of them forward.

"Even though you may have meant no harm by your actions, I cannot let you two go unpunished. Between the two of you, I demand restitution for the families of those that have died here. One-million yuan for each life lost."

Rain nods numbly, but Belle's mouth gapes open. Her mouth tries to form words, but all that she can get out is a stammer.

"I... That's... I can't! "

Han raises a hand to silence her.

"I do not care how you do it, only that it be done. Until the debt is paid, I will take something as precious to you as your own lives."

She taps the both of them on the chest, and both Conjurers clutch at their chests in confusion... and fear.

Rain glares at Han with an expression halfway between despair and fury.

"What did you do? I can't feel Kon... _What did you do?!_"

She repeats herself over and over, while Belle starts to cry again.

"I've blocked the connection between you and your pactmates. I'll undo the spell once you've fulfilled your end of the agreement. Wake, you are free to leave. Take them with you."

She looks towards one of the pengineers, who quickly takes the hint. He squeaks out a frightened reply.

"I'll take them to the teleporter, your highness!"

"Good. You may leave with them as well, and same goes for the rest of you. There is no longer any work for you here."

He quickly excuses himself, and the rest of the pengineers quickly follow suit. You see a flash of hurt on both Ark, and Nile's faces. They must not have expected to be so readily abandoned by them.

Han glances at Wake, who hoists both Rain and Belle onto her shoulders without a word. She looks over towards you with her one good eye, then sighs as she leaves the room with the two Conjurers in tow.

You can hear Rain's screaming even after the door closes behind them.

Han turns her attention to you.

"I strongly suggest that you do the same."

You inhale, and try your hardest not to look too relieved.

Still... you can't just leave like this. Not after everything that all of you just went through together.

Your eyes fall on the still form of Tate on the floor.

You didn't notice it before, but there's a deep scar running diagonally just above her right eye.

She probably has a ton of scars on her body after that fight...

"Han, what are you g-going to do with them?"

Han's features soften as she sighs.

"Have a very long talk for starters. It's nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"I just s-spent the last d-day fighting for my l-l-life w-w-with them. Don't tell me n-not to be concerned!"

You notice Nile looking in your direction from behind Han's back. She looks both surprised, and touched by your willingness to come to their defense.

\---Affinity raised with Nile---

(_You've gained the "Friendly Advice" Perk. Occasionally, Nile may contact you in an attempt to steer you away from potentially ruinous choices._)

Han shakes her head, unoffended by your outburst.

"You have my word that no harm will come to them, but the rest of this conversation is not for your ears. Go home, and try to forget that any of this ever happened."

You open your mouth to tell her off, but Nile locks eyes with you again, and you stop yourself.

You may find her extremely sketchy after all of this, but you aren't about to do anything that might jeopardize her life.

You suck your teeth, and leave the room. You make your way to the teleporter, and see that it's been left running. You cast a look behind your shoulder, and down the hallway.

An entire livelihood down the drain because of this.

You really wish this could have worked out better...

You take a step into the teleporter, and are whisked away.

.

..

...

..

.

The teleporter lets you out at the museum, and you take a deep breath of the salty air.

It's surprisingly refreshing.

You take a slow walk to your home, and when you reach the front door, your surprised to see that it's been completely replaced with one painted in the same shade of blue as your hair. Taped to the the peephole is a small envelope, which you open right away. Inside are three sets of keys, and a letter written in distinct, but very legible cursive.

_Hey Nyx,_

_I know you've been staying here for a while, but I wanted to give you some space before I came to visit. I noticed that the place was looking kinda rough, so I got you set up with some furniture, free of charge this time! I was gonna pay the taxes too, but I figured you could probably stand to get a job, and get socializing!_

_I just really want to apologize. I really didn't know that scarf meant as much to you as it did... I wouldn't have acted the way that I did if I knew. Though to be completely fair, I honestly thought you were going to hurt me! But still, I never meant for things to get this bad, sooo..._

_Can we get a do over?_

_If you don't want to, I understand. You don't have to worry about paying me back for any of this; it's the least that I can do. But if you ever feel like maybe you'd be willing to hear me out, drop by Solburg whenever you have the time. My door is always open to you!_

_~June S._

You stare blankly at the note for several moments until a drop of water on your head snaps you out of it. You look up, and see rainclouds approaching, prompting you to open the door with your new key.

You step inside, and turn on the lights.

It's like a completely different house.

The living room and kitchen have been completely furnished, with a TV and sofa in the former, and a stove, fridge, and microwave in the other. You check the inside of the fridge, and find it filled with an assortment of frozen foods.

You head upstairs, and see that while the guest room remains untouched, the main bedroom has been given the welcome addition of a Queen-sized mattress, complete with bedding and pillows. Off to the side, you see that the box full of _your_ Eve's belongings has been left untouched, and you deeply appreciate that. At the very least, you'll consider seeing what June wants in the future... especially if she's really the one responsible for buying this house for you.

You turn off the light, and lay on top of the covers.

You're beyond exhausted, but your thoughts refuse to let you sleep. You're still worried about Tate and the others, and you still need to tell someone at the hospital about what happened to Yorshk.

And what about Mick and Tony? Did they make it out alright?

What is Eve going to do when she hears about this? She already has enough to worry about...

And what's going to happen to Io?

All of this... It's too much for you right now.

You flip onto your stomach, and bury your face in the pillow.

You need rest. You can face the world again when you wake up.

\---END OF THIRD AND FOURTH DAY---

(Pick one.)

[] Wake

[] Luca

[] Ven

**[X] Frey**

[] Pike

[] Kon


	22. Arc 2: Part 19

You are **Frey Marchosias**, and you are soaking wet!

You were just finishing your shift at the hospital gardens when the sky suddenly opened up on you. You ran the rest of the way home in less than three minutes, but that was more than enough time for the rainwater to completely ruin your coveralls.

As you come upon your house just off of Route 182, you sigh in relief, and open the door with your keys. You make sure to close the door behind you as quietly as you can. Quinn’s workday starts in a few hours, and she's probably still upstairs in bed. Her hearing is very sensitive, and you don't want to wake her if you can help it.

You take a step forward, then curse under your breath as you look down. Your boots are caked with mud, and your clothes are going to drip all over the floor if you move from this spot. You suck your teeth and strip down, picking up your boots and work clothes, and walking them over to the hamper by the guest bathroom. As you drop everything in the bin, you see a clean set of pajamas set out for you on the coat rack, and you smile warmly to yourself.

Man, Quinn really does think of everything.

You throw the pajamas on, then help yourself to some leftover sandwiches in the fridge. They're a little heavy on the peanut butter this time, but it's definitely edible. You pop both halves into your mouth, then shut the fridge door behind you. You plop down on your recliner, and turn on the TV. You want to check tomorrow's forecast; you still need to transplant several flowers into a shadier spot, but if it's going to rain all day, there might not be any point in showing up for work other than to check in on Yorshk.

You grab the remote, and press the power switch. The TV comes to life, and you quickly turn down the volume as the anchorwoman on screen delivers her news story.

"Several Piecewood residents from all across the continent spotted what appeared to be a giant Mogwai in the sky thrashing around, before shooting a concentrated laser that could be seen as far as Neo Awlins. One observatory has confirmed that the Mogwai belongs to the Bakunawa species, although researchers have never seen one of such a colossal size. Queen Verrine has already called a press conference, and while our reporters await her speech, we've attempted to reach out to the current ambassador, but Eve Staccato's whereabouts are currently unknown. Are we under attack? Is this the start of another Mog War? No one knows for-"

You shut off the TV, and groan. You were busy around the time everything happened, but it's been all that everyone's been talking about for the last few hours.

You don't care. You've got more important things to worry about right now than some stupid human's fearmongering.

Like going upstairs to catch some sleep.

You get off of the recliner, but before you can reach the stairs, you hear a gentle knock at your door over the sound of the rain.

You walk over to the door... but your nose twitches, and your hand hovers over the knob.

The person behind the door... they smell like blood, sea water, alcohol... and something strange that you've never smelt before.

The weather outside is awful, and you're not the type of person to turn away someone in need, but you have a really bad feeling about this.

What will you do?

**[X] Open the door - Maybe you're just overreacting? It's not like you're a pushover anyway.**

[] Leave the door closed - You don't want to chance anything. Not with Quinn upstairs...

You grasp the doorknob, and slowly start to turn it. You push the door open, and wince at the sight of the woman in front of you.

You've never met her before in your life, but just off of Yorshk's (creepily specific) description of her during conversation, you have no doubt that this is Wake Forneus standing outside your door. However, she's looks awful...

Her jacket is ripped in several spots, with the largest one stretching across an entire sleeve.

You see what looks like a small burn wound on the left side of her ribcage, and determine that the strange smell is coming from there. It's extremely acrid, like burnt flesh; possibly acid. It doesn't seem to be bothering her, but still... she needs to get that looked at!

Clutched in her hand is a half-emptied bottle of rum, though you doubt that's her first bottle of the night. She absolutely reeks of alcohol...

Her gaze is hollow, and her footing is unsteady as she takes a moment to try and stand upright. She speaks, and the voice that comes out is hoarse, and wracked with an emotion you can't figure out.

"...Yer Yorshk's kid, right? Frey? I'm Wake; mind if I come in for a bit?"

"W-What?!" You sputter at her choice of words. Neither you nor Yorshk talk about your shared past very often; but clearly she trusts Wake enough to share some of it with her.

You relax a little bit, and make room for her to step inside.

"Yeah... come on in. Wait by the door and I'll get you a towe-"

Before you can finish, Wake walks brusquely past you, and drops right onto your recliner. You don't even bother to look down at the mess you know her boots have just made on your floor. You shut the door behind you, and sigh.

While you mentally count to ten to calm yourself down, you watch as Wake leans forward to stare down at the floor. Both hands are hanging off the sides of her legs, and you can see her briefly consider taking a pull from her bottle.

You clear your throat.

"Do you... need me to call someone or something?"

She lifts the bottle to her lips, and takes a large gulp of rum before setting it on the coffee table. You appreciate that she's aware enough to use the coaster.

She looks at you for a moment, then turns her face away as she speaks.

"No. I'm right where I need to be right now. Yer not at all what I expected from someone that Yorshk would look after."

You fight back an embarrassed blush. How much does she know? You downplay it, purely out of reflex.

"It's not that big a deal; she was only my nanny for a couple of years."

Wake chuckles for a moment.

"Whatever ye' say... I'm just glad that someone else got to know her like I did."

You feel extremely uncomfortable right now. She's clearly not well, but you can't bring yourself to interrupt her. She finally makes eye contact with you, and her stare is so intense that you almost turn away.

"She was always bad at bein' honest with herself... an' I dunno if she ever said it to yer' face... but she cared a lot about ye. Said helpin' to bring ye up was the one thing she ever did right."

Wake puts the bottle to her lips again, and finishes the rest of the rum. She lets out an extremely loud groan, before slamming the empty bottle against the table. If Quinn wasn't awake already, then she's definitely up now...

"Dammit! I had a whole speech an everything ready, but I can't...!"

You watch as the woman known as one of the fiercest warriors the Militia ever had to offer breaks down into tears on your recliner. She buries her face into her open palm and weeps. You don't think twice about putting your arm around her.

"Hey. Easy... It's gonna be alright. Can I get you anything?"

She exhales with a shudder, and then turns back towards you.

Something about that pain in her eye makes your chest tighten up in fear of what she's going to say next.

"...She's _gone_, Frey. Yorshk is gone..."

.

..

...

You hear what she's saying, but your mind can't process the reality of it just yet. You let go of Wake, and walk over towards the loveseat, letting yourself fall against the cushions.

As you stare at the floor, you're dimly aware of the sound of feet plodding down the stairs.

"Frey? I heard something slam. Is everything oka-"

You hear Quinn gasp, then come rushing over towards you. Within seconds, she's standing in front of you, still dressed in her pajamas. She runs her thumbs over your cheeks, and brushes away the tears you didn't even know were there.

"What happened?"

You hear shuffling in your peripheral, and realize that Wake's standing up. Quinn finally notices her, and lets go of you.

You can vaguely hear them talking, but everything sounds like it's underwater. You can't think straight.

Your mind flashes back to an old memory.

A fight with your pack over not wanting to hunt live prey.

A push, then a shove to your back that turns into several sets of claws pouncing on you.

A smelly herbal mixture slathered onto several deep bite wounds.

Dozens of bandages around your midsection.

Yorshk's sad, but understanding smile as she tucks you in before hugging you goodnight.

She always used to tell you that compassion is the greatest strength that any Mog could hope to have...

You never forgot those words; even when years later, it seemed like she did.

It wasn't until you and Quinn became involved that you could finally glimpse an understanding of what drove Yorshk to the questionable lengths that she took during her time in the Militia.

Sometimes when you purposefully hurt others, it's not because you don't care, it's because you care too much.

The sound of the front door closing brings you back. You look up, and see Quinn looking back at you with tears streaming down her face. She slowly moves closer, and wraps her arms around your back.

She starts to cry even harder into your shoulder, and vaguely, you wonder how you wound up with this angel. Always doing for others, and rarely herself. It was no surprise her and Yorshk got along right away.

But now... reality is starting to catch up with you.

What is the hospital going to do with the wing now that there's no Mog specialist?

What are you and Quinn going to do for work?

Who are you going to call for advice when things get too stressful?

Who's going to give you away now when you finally marry Quinn?

...Who's going to be the Godmother to your children once you have them?

She's dead. She's really dead...

You hold Quinn, and wail for what feels like an eternity. The tears don't stop coming, and every time you feel yourself calming down, you think of something that reminds you of her, and start back up again.

Quinn murmurs soothing words to you in spite of her own sadness, but the only thing you feel is an overwhelming sense of helplessness in the pit of your stomach that boils over and escapes you as a deep, and sorrowful howl.

You howl late into the night, and mourn the loss of the closest thing you've ever had to a loving mother.

.

..

...

..

.

_You are... Nyx Ronove._

_You're in a room._

_It's cold. Running water. Mirror. Some sort of rack. _

_A jar. _

_It's broken. _

_Toilet._

_A bathroom?_

_A bathroom._

_You get up off of the floor, and look in the mirror._

_It's you. But is this all you are?_

_Something's missing._

_You need more. Something to go on._

_You grab the nearest item. A syringe. Empty. Fingerprints._

_This will do._

_You pull the syringe into yourself, and break it down._

_Flashes of memories._

_Your essence?_

_Can't tell._

_Owner of syringe?_

_Mogwai. Toxin. Yin. Need a name._

_._

_.._

_..._

_Luca. _

_Doctor?_

_Yes._

_Your Doctor?_

_No. Her home. You need to leave. Find a common thread_

_You open the door, and quietly slip out of the bathroom. You see two figures sleeping together on the bed at the far side of the apartment._

_The short one. Crying in her sleep._

_Luca._

_The other one is a human you recall seeing somewhere. _

_Should you add them to yourself?_

_...No. You need something else. Something closer to you._

_You pull from your core, and try to parse the memories for something to latch onto._

_Cell._

_Dark. Chains cutting into you forever._

_A human. Your Conjurer. _

_Eve._

_Sadness. Sadness. Sadness. Sadness._

_Regret._

_You see a face in your mind._

_Cat eyes. Green. Black hair. Shameless._

_Cat Sith._

_...Klein._

_Klein!_

_Your hands clench into fists at your sides, but..._

_Why? _

_Who is she? _

_What did she do?_

_What should you do about her?_

_You don't know. Just thinking about her... it fills you with a drive._

_You need more._

_It's decided then. You'll find her, then you'll figure the rest out once you do._

_You slowly open the front door, and close it behind you._

_You'll follow the drive wherever it takes you._

(**Klein is now in mortal danger.**)

\---**START OF THE FIFTH DAY**\---

You are **Nyx Ronove**, and you are **very depressed**. Despite having a newly furnished home, you can't tear your thoughts away from the events of yesterday. You haven't gotten any phone calls from anyone, and it's likely that everyone is dealing with what happened in their own ways.

Before you can think on it any more, you hear the doorbell ring. You quickly slide off of the bed, and go downstairs to answer it.

You open the door, and standing on the other side is Tate. In the morning sunlight, you can see flecks of black in her eyes that weren't there before. You wonder if she knows.

"Hey."

She waves half-heartedly. She probably has no idea what to say to you.

"H-Hey. I'm glad you're o-okay."

Then again, you're in the same boat.

Tate snorts at your reply, and you can see a faint blush creep up on her face, though you aren't sure why.

"Do you think I could come in for a bit? I need to talk to you about some important stuff... annnnd I maybeneedaplacecrash too."

You blink.

"C-C-Can you repeat that?"

Tate huffs and blows her hair out her face. You can see that one scar running above her eye as she does so.

"I said I need a place to crash... Can't stay on the Tenebro anymore. Normally, I'd stay at the museum... but I can't be around Nile and Ark right now."

"Why?"

"_Because I don't want to, that's why._" Her tone is very harsh, and you wince a little.

She clearly doesn't want to talk about it, and you aren't about to pick at her personal issues.

"What else d-did you need?"

She holds up the satchel.

"I'm trying to find a Doctor Stolas in Otecho... Yorshk asked me to bring this to her before she... well, you know..."

Her eyes flicker down at the floor in what looks like guilt. You still don't know all of the details of what happened, and you're overdue for a check up with Luca anyway. Maybe it would be a good idea to check in with her since you both would be headed in that direction anyway.

It would certainly give you an excuse to catch up with Tate, and find out what happened to the ship. It sounds like Nile and Ark are alright at the very least.

Still, there are some other things you wanted to look into.

It might be a good idea to go to Bowfort, and see how Belle is doing. She was in a really bad way the last time you saw her.

Alternatively, you could go to Solburg and see what June wants. You don't know if she knows about what happened to Belle and Rain. Maybe you should bring her up to speed on some things.

...If you're being honest though, you just want to try and take Han's advice for a change, and forget that any of this happened. You know the diner over in Harbei sells drinks at all hours of the day. It would be nice to just be able to stop thinking, if only for a while.

Whatever you decide, you're already dead set on going to the hospital in the afternoon. At best, you have enough time to go to two different places before you head there.

There's also this issue of Tate's housing situation. You have more than enough room (And spare keys) in your house for the both of you, but you really don't know if you'd make good company to be around...

What will you do?

(Pick one.)

**[X] Agree to let Tate stay with you for now.**

[] Suggest to Tate that she find another place.

(Pick one of these as well.)

**[X] Go with Tate to Otecho, and see Luca.**

[] Give Tate directions to Luca's apartment, and go by yourself to Bowfort.

[] Give Tate directions to Luca's apartment, and go by yourself to Solburg.

[] Give Tate directions to Luca's apartment, and go get drunk.

You can't worry about your own hang-ups right now. Tate's been dealt a really bad hand, and you're not about to put her out on the street.

"I'll come with y-you; I actually have b-business with L-L-Luca anyway."

Tate wrinkles her nose at the name.

"Luca? Like the creepy Gyochu that came on the ship with you and Eve that one time? That's Doctor Stolas? Huh..."

Tate frowns, and cocks her head to the side. She looks almost disappointed by this.

"D-Do you need to p-p-put anything away before we g-go?"

Her eyes snap back up to meet yours, and you smile. You pull one of the spare keys from the envelope in your jacket pocket. You pull one of her hands off of the satchel she's holding, and place the key in her palm.

"Did you really th-think I would say no? You can stay as l-l-long as you need to, Tate."

You close her hand over the key, and her blush intensifies. The look that she gives you is one of gratitude.

"...I really owe you one, huh? Thanks, Nyx. I really appreciate it! I'll try not to be too much of a downer while I'm here!"

"Snrk!"

You can't help the snort of laughter leaves your throat, and Tate quickly puffs up her cheeks in offense.

"Wow, rude! I was being really sincere a second ago!"

You put your hands up in apology.

"It's n-not what you're thinking, I p-promise. I was worried that I might b-b-be too moody to be a good host."

Tate's pout softens, and she stretches a moment before placing both hands behind her head, and smirking back at you.

"Oh please. I've spent the last several hundred years living with a bunch of bird brains, and two love birds that constantly find new and inventive places to..."

She makes a lewd gesture with her hips, and an even lewder face, causing you to have a sudden revelation about something that happened a few days ago.

"W-W-Wait. That time in the museum..."

Tate's smirk steadily grows larger.

"Mmmm-hmmm."

"Th-Th-They were..."

"Uh-huh."

"In the _fishtank?!_"

"Yup!"

...Congratulations. You have learned way more about Nile and Ark's love life than you have ever wanted to know.

"That's n-n-nasty..."

Tate shrugs, and laughs to herself.

"What I'm trying to say is, I don't think you'll really have to worry about being a bad host... Besides, you're already turning out to be a pretty good friend!"

You freeze at the statement. You haven't really stopped to think about it. Between Io, and Eve, this would be the third person that's ever called you a friend since you escaped the Den...

It's a good feeling.

\---**Affinity raised with Tate**\---

(_You've gained the "Ride or Die Bakunawa" Perk. Tate has become your housemate, and can accompany you somewhere at the start of the day upon request. Tate can also repair broken electronics and machinery, and can be called for advice or trouble-shooting over the phone via write-in options, should the need ever arise._)

You give her a wide smile, and clap her on the shoulder.

"J-J-Just a warning, you'll have to get y-y-your own furniture."

"Deal! Let's get going to Otecho, but can we grab something to eat on the way over? I haven't eaten in forever..."

You nod, and lock the door behind you. You can't remember the last time you ate, yet you don't feel very hungry. It would probably be a good idea to eat all the same.

"Sure, I could use some breakfast."

.

..

...

..

.

You enter the sewers with Tate. It's her first time down here, and she's more than a little put off by it.

"You seriously expect me to eat something from down here?"

"Trust me, V-Ven's a good cook."

You turn the corner leading to Ven's shop, and are extremely disappointed to see that the entire storefront is empty. All of the goods have been put away, and a handwritten note is on the counter top. You pick it up, and read it.

Closed for a personal emergency, please leave any written orders and inquiries in the basket next to the counter.

\- Ven Berith.

You sigh. You'd almost forgotten about Tony and Mick. Did they ever find the escape pods? Or is Ven gone on account of what happened to Yorshk?

You won't know until you see her again.

"Not here, huh?"

You turn around, and see Tate waiting by the entrance.

"Y-Yeah, guess we'll eat someplace else."

She shrugs.

"Eh, I think at this point, we can get some food after we see Luca."

"A-Alright."

You're a little disappointed, but you head towards the manhole leading toward Otecho all the same. Before you climb up, you decide to ask Tate something that's been on your mind since she showed up at your door.

"C-C-Can I ask you a question?"

"Hm? What's up?"

"...How are Nile and Ark d-d-doing?"

Tate lets out a deep sigh, then nods to herself before looking back towards you.

"...I woke up after the Queen spoke to them. The Epsilonians came for their eggs, and they came to some sort of understanding with her. In return for the eggs, they're gonna fix the satellites before the Xothians get cranky. She let Nile keep the ship, but we had to give up all of the research, weapons, and specimens to the Epsilonians... And we can't leave orbit without her permission."

You frown.

"So she did exactly w-w-what she said she would, only w-without destroying the ship."

Tate frowns as well.

"Yeah... No more space travel. I think Avi took it the hardest. She didn't say anything, just up and left with all her stuff."

"Is she gonna b-be okay?"

"I... don't know, she's never done this before."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Me too."

Tate takes a second to collect her thoughts, and you patiently wait until she's ready to talk again.

"Nile and I got into an argument over... some stuff, and I left not too long after. Ark didn't even bother to see me off, just spent the whole time holding her crying darling. Tch."

Something dark and _very_ bitter flashes across Tate's face for a moment, and you unconsciously take a step back. It's quickly replaced by a look of regret.

"I... said some things I probably shouldn't have, but it's too soon to apologize. I'll go see them once we all cool down. I just need some time away."

You can respect that.

"T-Take as much time as you need."

Tate's lips turn upwards just slightly, and you turn around, put a hand on the ladder, and begin climbing.

.

..

...

..

.

You and Tate arrive at Otecho, and head to Luca's apartment without delay. As you approach the door, the scent of something pungent hits your nose, causing you to recoil, and cover your nose. Tate seems unfazed, and actually has a wry smile on her face now.

"Guess someone's having a good time."

You have no idea what she means by that.

You knock on the door, and hear someone inside having a coughing fit for several seconds. Once the coughing stops, a pair of feet shuffle towards the door, and someone looks through the peephole.

The door opens, and a disheveled looking Patch greets you. She's dressed in a pair of shorts, and a loose fitting tank-top. She gives you a lop-sided grin, then pulls you into a hug that lasts way too long for your liking.

She smells bad!

"Nyx! Long time, no see! How've you been?"

She's acting a lot friendlier than usual...

"I'm f-fine."

You gently pry her hands from off of you, and take two large steps backwards.

She takes the hint, and chuckles awkwardly before leaning against the doorframe.

"Oh, sorry if the smell bothers you. I had a rough week, and just needed to unwind... you know?"

"I hear that." Tate chimes in next to you, and Patch turns her attention towards your friend.

You're really going to have to get used to that word.

"Don't think we've met. I'm Patch, nice to meet you!"

"Same here. I'm Tate, and I'm looking for a Doctor Stolas. Is she in right now?"

Patch shakes her head, her easy smile is replaced by a frown.

"Sorry, you missed her about an hour ago. We had a break-in this morning, but all they did was trash the bathr- uh, Luca's office."

Tate looks towards you with a skeptical gaze, and you quickly shake your head. It's the office as far as everyone is concerned. Patch quickly resumes her story.

"The only things she said were missing were a needle, and one of her specimen things, but she was really mad... Like, 'mad enough to drop six F-bombs in the same sentence' mad. And Luca _never_ curses... She didn't say where she was going, but I don't think she would try to do anything rash. Not by herself, at least."

You groan. It appears that Luca is somewhere else for the time being.

"Would you tell h-her that I stopped by? A-A-Actually, tell her I s-said to stop by my house. It's important."

"Yeah, I can do that no problem. Does she know where you live?"

You give Patch your address and thank her again, as she closes the door and continues doing... whatever it is that she's doing.

You turn to Tate, and apologize.

"Sorry we got here too l-late."

"Don't worry about it. She has your address now, so she'll stop by later. And who knows? We might run into her later today!"

You find yourself agreeing with Tate's positive outlook. You still have some time before you go to the hospital, and there's still a couple of things you can do in the meantime.

You look towards the apartment door across from Patch's, and recall that this is where Cache lives. You still need to inquire about that VHS player, but she did say that she would be hosting an event today. You aren't going to be able to get the information from Ven, so it may just be better to try knocking to see if anyone's there.

Both you and Tate are still hungry, so you could always go to the diner off of Route 182 for some food and drinks. It also puts you in walking distance of Harbei, so that's definitely a plus.

Now that you think about it, you still haven't heard from Eve since her last text. You should probably go to Bowfort, and check on everyone.

You still haven't paid any attention to the fact that you're still out of work either...

It might be a smart move to grab today's paper from Smallmart, and see if there are any new listings. You may have taken care of your bills for the month, but you still intend to send Eve some money as well.

And then there's June. You don't know what she wants, but she seems dead set on patching things up with you for some reason. Plus, since Tate is with you, it might also be a chance to squash any rumors about yesterday's 'show' in the sky.

What will you do?

[] Knock on Cache's door, and see if she's available - You'll need that VHS player sooner or later. If she's home, maybe you can find out how much she wants for it?

[] Go to the Long Life Diner on Route 182, eat... and get drunk - Both you and Tate could stand to unwind... you've been through a lot.

[] Go to Bowfort, and find out how everyone's doing - You're still worried about Rain, and Belle. You should see if they need anything; Eve might be there too.

[] Go to the Smallmart outside, and look for work - Even if things are miserable right now... you still need money if you want to live comfortably, and if you want to help Eve.

**[X] Go to Solburg, and speak to June - You still owe her an apology, and bringing Tate along to recount some of what happened might make for a decent peace offering.**


	23. Arc 2: Part 20

You settle on going to Solburg. As much as you want that VHS player, you don't want to sour your chances of getting it by dropping in unannounced. You'll wait to see Ven, and follow up with her.

You leave the apartment complex with Tate, and travel back down into the sewers. As you climb down the ladder, you hear her comment casually on your surroundings.

"You know, I didn't think you were serious about the whole network of manholes until I saw it for myself. It's amazing."

"It's been around f-for as long as I can remember. C-Can't remember who told me a-about it first."

Tate hums in reply, and you fall back into a comfortable silence. You reach the bottom of the ladder, and as you turn around, you see Mickayla leaning against the wall with a downtrodden look on her face. She doesn't move, or say anything as the two of you approach her.

You decide to talk to her.

"...Glad you m-made it back."

She continues to stare at the ground, completely ignoring your words. You go to put a hand on her shoulder, but Tate quickly snatches your arm in a tight grip.

"Whoa, _don't touch it!_ We'll just leave it alone, and keep walking."

"...Tate?"

You frown in confusion at Tate's choice of words. Mick isn't a friend by any stretch of the word, but you don't dislike her enough to insult her in such a depersonalizing way.

"Tate, th-th-that's really, _really_ uncalled for. You should apologize."

Tate returns your gaze with an equally confused one. A moment passes, before understanding dawns on her.

"Have you ever dealt with a Mimic before, Nyx?"

"Mick's the only one I've ever met."

Tate shakes her head with a surprising amount of irritation.

"Okay. First off, don't call it by name; That's just _**disrespectful**_. And second, how long have you been hanging around it? I saw it swinging the scythe I made for you back on the Tenebro. Did it... try to _infect_ you?"

"Don't t-talk like she's not s-standing right there!"

Tate huffs, and put her fingers directly in front Mick, and snaps them multiple times.

"Hey! Anybody home? Yes? No?"

She plucks her nose, and there's no reaction whatsoever.

"...They shut down like this sometimes when they need to rest. Now answer my question. Did she directly try to copy you at any point?"

You think on it, but you can't remember any point in which she directly tried to copy you. She's only ever put her hands on your phone, and a couple of your belongings.

The only time you two have ever come into physical contact that you can remember was when you and Io were carrying her to Solburg. You answer her honestly, feeling slightly nervous at her urgency.

"I don't know."

"Okay then. Show me your core."

It's less of a request, and more of a command. You ignore her tone, and expose your core to Tate. She looks it over, and breathes a heavy sigh of relief.

"Oh thank goodness... Look, this one bailed us out of a jam the other night, so if you want to leave it be... I'll respect that. It's weird, I've never seen one this self-aware."

You're still terribly confused.

"What d-do you have against her?"

"_It_, Nyx! That's an it, not a her. They're not people, and they're _definitely_ not Mogs."

Tate's starting to get worked up, and you can see the dark flecks in her eyes grow in size. She takes a breath to calm herself, then starts again.

"Do you know anything about Mimics? Anything at all?"

You shake your head.

"...Okay, I'll give you the short version. Nobody knows where they came from, but they first started showing up near the end of the first war. They move to heavily populated places, and spread like a virus. The way I heard it, there was a whole outbreak in the Den, but the Militia stepped in, and... dealt with it. The scary part is you can't tell if you've been infected until it's too late."

"What h-happens when you've become infected?"

Tate's face becomes grave.

"It becomes you."

You squint in confusion, and Tate clarifies.

"They copy you down to the soul, and break down the original. Do you understand what I'm saying? You die like that... and there's no afterlife for you. No reincarnation, nothing. All that would be left of you is some thing walking around in a Nyx shaped suit."

...You look back at Mickayla, and shudder. You aren't sure that you believe everything that Tate is saying. If Mimic's are really that dangerous, why would someone like Ven stick her neck out for them?

You decide not to mention anything that Yorshk told you about the town in the sewers. If Tate's reaction to Mick was this negative, you'd hate to imagine how she would react to a town full of Mimics.

You make a mental note to follow up with Ven when Tate isn't around. There's clearly more to this that you haven't been made aware of, and now that Yorshk is dead, you aren't certain how this has affected things down here.

You let the issue go for now, and walk past Mick with Tate right behind you. You look back at Mick on the wall, then back to Tate.

"...Yeah, I know what you're thinking, and the answer is yes. Whoever Mickayla was... that person’s probably been dead for a long time."

Tate walks ahead of you, and starts pulling you by the arm when you don't budge. You head towards the entrance to Solburg, and start to climb up. As you move up the ladder, you mull over what you've just been told. Is death of the soul really possible? The idea is too horrifying to try and wrap your head around it... and if that's true... then how many people has Mick absorbed in her lifetime?

Still, that doesn't mesh with the impression of her that you've built up already.

You'll worry about all of that later. You still have other things to deal with in the meantime.

.

..

...

..

.

You arrive in Solburg, and quickly make your way towards June's house. The sunny weather seems to have put Tate back into a more agreeable mood, and you notice that the black flecks in her eyes have shrunken back down.

You knock on the door, and wait for several seconds.

When June finally opens the door, she's holding a bowl of flat noodles. She looks surprised to see you, and doesn't say anything for a moment.

She eventually smiles, and welcomes you in.

"Uh, wow. I honestly didn't expect you to show up so soon! Uh, yeah. Come in, bring your friend too!"

She steps to the side to let you and Tate into her house. Seated at the table in her living room are Rex, and Kon. The latter looks very upset, while the former seems to be trying her best to comfort her sister. June steers you and Tate towards her bedroom, and she clears a space on her bed for you two to sit.

"...Kon told us a little bit about what happened. Sounds like you both had it rough. Can I get you two something to eat?"

You and Tate both nod your heads enthusiastically. And June rushes back out of the room, when she comes back, she hands Tate a bowl of noodles... then hands you a tray of chicken tenders. You look up at her, and she gives you a playful wink.

"I know you really like these, so I made sure to buy a few packs in case you showed up."

Okay. You totally deserved that one.

You take a bite, then quickly shove the rest of the tender into your mouth. She's right... these are good!

You're about to eat another one, but you glance over at Tate, and realize that she's not eating at all.

She's staring down at the noodles in her bowl with an expressionless face. She eventually looks over towards you.

"Hey... can we trade? I'm really not feeling this."

You place the tender back on the tray, and shrug. You don't really have a preference.

"Sure. G-Give it here."

You swap meals with Tate, and she looks extremely grateful. You have no idea what that was about, but she looks better, and that's all that matters to you. You dig into the noodles, and June grabs a seat on the floor in front of you.

"...I guess this is the part where I say 'I'm sorry', huh?"

You shake your head.

"L-Let's just agree that we both d-did some stupid things. I n-never should have tried to lie to you in t-the first place. I'm sorry June."

You offer her your hand, which she takes in a firm handshake. You never realized just how callused her hands are. Probably from all of the hiking that she does.

She retracts her hand, and plops back onto the floor, and crosses her legs.

"Well now that you're here, I was actually hoping you could help me with an expedition in a couple of days, but we can get to that later. Let's talk for a bit!"

There's more than a few things you'd like to ask June, about Mimics in particular... unfortunately, it's not a conversation that you want to have with Tate present, so you'll leave that for another time.

You're curious about what Kon is doing here, without her Conjurer at that. You know how awful it is to be separated from your Conjurer... but you've never had your connection blocked like she has. You can't imagine what she must be going through.

You're also curious about what Eve is up to. You could always ask June if she's heard from any of the other Conjurers lately.

You glance over her shoulder, and see the camera feed that she's set up around Piecewood... You wonder if she's seen anything worth talking about?

There's also the matter of clearing up any rumors. June hasn't tried to pry, but you know she's curious. You and Tate could probably offer her a couple of tidbits of info on what happened to satisfy her curiosity.

...It's rude to ask, but you're also really curious to know how she was able to afford to buy you a house.

What will you talk about? (Pick two.)

**[X] Ask June about how Kon is doing - You don't want to interrupt her conversation with her sister, but you still want to know if she needs a hand with anything.**

**[X] Ask June about Eve, and the other Conjurers – Eve's friends all keep a tightly knit circle, maybe you can learn what some of the others Conjurers that you haven't seen in a while have been up to?**

[] Ask June about the camera feed - Maybe one of the cameras picked up where Luca went?

[] Ask June if she wants to know anything about what happened last night - It's probably a good a idea to deal with any false rumors while you can, especially since she runs a Mogwai research blog.

[] Ask June where she got the money to afford a house - you have to know.

[] Write-in.

You look towards Tate, curious to see if she might have anything she wants to say, but she seems to be too caught up in her chicken tenders to join in the conversation.

You start with the most pressing thing on your mind.

"H-H-How is Kon holding up? I haven't seen Rain s-since last night... and those two are inseparable."

June's smile falters, and she lets out a heavy sigh.

"...Straight to the point, huh? Kon's doing about as well as you'd expect. She called Rex last night, and she went to pick her up from the farm. Hasn't moved from the living room since then. Rex got us to tell her what Rain told her about what happened... I think she feels responsible for what happened, in a way."

You shake your head.

"If th-that's the case, then she's being t-too hard on herself."

June gives you a sad look.

"How old were you when you first met Eve?"

It takes a moment before you realize which Eve she's talking about. She continues before you have any time to think about it.

"Rain's been a part of her life since day one, y'know? How do you think she feels knowing how close she came to losing not just her Conjurer, but the only family she's ever known until recently? And what about Han's punishment? How would you handle that?

You wince at her point.

"...N-Not very well at all."

She frowns, and nods her head several times.

"Yeah. The worst part is, Rain ghosted everyone altogether. Kon said she headed straight for the sewers once she calmed down, but when she caught up with her, she couldn't find her anywhere... and no one's seen her since."

Off to your side, Tate makes a loud "Mmph!" with her mouth full, and you can tell she's probably thinking about Mickayla back in the sewers.

To be fair, you are too. You have no idea where Rain could have gone, or what she's set out to do. She's strong on her own, but... you don't know what kind of mental strain she's been through, or how that might impact her judgement... Or what the Mimics might do to her if she winds up someplace she shouldn't.

You'll make sure to keep an eye out for her as you travel around.

"Maybe I s-should try to talk to her."

June looks at you somewhat skeptically.

"And say what? No offense Nyx... but you're not very good with people."

You suck your teeth at this, but you don't bother to correct her either. You're trying to be a better person. You really are.

"...Is t-there anything I can do to h-help, then?"

June sighs.

"Just call me, or any of us if you see Rain, okay?"

She must mean the other Conjurers. You nod... but then realize something important.

"I don't have anyone's n-number."

"Not a problem, gimme your phone for a sec."

You unlock your phone, and pass it to June. She takes it from you, and you watch as she furiously taps away at the screen's keyboard.

You have no idea how anyone's fingers can move so quickly and so accurately over such a tiny screen. When she hands it back to you, an entire contact list for all of Eve's friends has been added to your phone.

"Thanks."

"Not a problem. Anything else you need?"

You glance down at the phone and look at the names of everyone on the list.

"What has e-everyone been up to? It's b-been months since I've s-seen them."

June looks surprised at your curiosity. She opens her mouth to say something, (likely a back-handed compliment) but decides against it at the last second. She lifts a hand to her chin in thought, and hums.

"Hmmm. You wanna know how everyone's doing? Lemme think. Well, we both know what's going on with Rain... I left a message on Belle's phone, so I'm going to stop by the farm tomorrow to see her. I think Eve's with Han right now, but I'm not too sure. I got a text from her last night about Han and her having an emergency meeting, but that's about it! I heard Patch and Cache are back in town after their Den tour bombed. Patch is probably fine, but Cache went public with an announcement. Said she's going on hiatus for a bit."

June takes another second to think before resuming.

"I think Gwen is still in town. She's actually doing some really cool stuff! You like wrestling at all?"

You shrug.

"Well, she scored a part on a TV luchador series as a recurring villain. You should watch it sometime!"

"I'll think about it."

June seems satisfied at your response.

"Beck is... actually? Beck's been pretty weird. Not bad weird, just... weird. Her health got really good all of a sudden, and she's become a total swole beast! She's at the gym pretty much every day if her social media is anything to go by."

You're a little confused by this. Wouldn't she be happy that her friend is getting better?

"Hey. Don't give me that look. Go check her out yourself; you'll see what I mean. Anyway, who else is there... Oh yeah! Cousin Ann is actually doing pretty good! She got promoted to regional manager, and she's looking to expand Smallmart by bringing a branch to the Den."

"Wow. Th-That's a big deal."

"I know, right?! Only thing is, Rick's been pretty lonely with just him and Blitz at home. I pop in every couple of days to check in on them. He tries to play it off, but I know he really misses his sister... Oh! Almost forgot Dawn! I'm shocked you haven't seen her, she's right in your neck of the woods. She's running a grilled fish stand in the Sand Bar."

"Ooooh! You didn't tell me we could buy fish by your place; we should've got some this morning!"

Tate says her first actual sentence since you and June started talking.

You shrug. You've walked around that entire neighborhood multiple times since you've moved in, and you have never seen a fish stand anywhere in town... or any kind of restaurant for that matter. You'll have to look the next time you're back in the area.

You take a moment to slurp up some of the noodles in your bowl. The sauce is a little spicier than you might like, but it still tastes really good. You hum in approval, and June smiles in response.

"Glad you like it, I made the sauce myself! I was worried it might be a little spicy, so I gave it to your cute bite-sized little friend over there."

"Hey come on, I'm not THAT short..."

"Aww lookit you, poutin'! Stop being so adorable!"

Despite her protests, you see Tate trying her best to hide a blushing smile by stuffing her face full of chicken tenders. June continues to lay it on thick, and you tune them out for the next three minutes.

You guess she's not used to getting attention, but you're also aware of the (well known) fact that June tends to hit on any Yin Mog that occupies her space. You decide not to ruin it for her.

"-m just saying, you might wanna lose the hat, you've got really pretty hair."

June reaches for the top of Tate's hat, but she quickly pulls away, and positions her hands defensively over her head.

"Stooooooooop!"

Oh wow, she looks like a tomato. You'd better reign June in.

You clear your throat.

"You h-had something that you wanted t-to a-a-ask me?"

June backs away from Tate, and looks towards you again. The playful grin on her face falls away, and is replaced with razor sharp focus.

Looks like she's all business now.

"I'm planning a three day expedition to Snowver, and I was hoping you'd be willing to come with me."

"Wh-What's in Snowver?"

She gets up, and grabs her laptop from off the desk before sitting back on the floor again. After a couple of keystrokes, she turns the screen towards you. There's a picture of an enormous mountain surrounded by several smaller peaks.

"Cool, huh? Local legends say that there's a family of Vampires that live in a mansion at the top of the mountain. And there's a photo bounty out for thirteen -million yuan to the person that can get a proof of an actual mansion, and the family."

You’re pretty sure that your eyes just bulged out of your head.

Thirteen-million yuan is a lot of money!

"It won't cover the entire debt, but... It would definitely be a big help to Belle and Rain. The place we're going is actually close to twelve miles away from the actual town on foot. I'm going with Troz, but I could use someone comfortable in the cold, and you're the first person that came to mind."

"And what w-would you need me to do?"

It's a legitimate question. Troz is more than capable in her own right.

"Maybe carry some extra supplies? And if something actually goes wrong, you would be able to get help since a snowstorm wouldn't be any trouble for you."

You raise an eyebrow at that, but say nothing. Just because the cold doesn't bother you, doesn't mean that a snowstorm is any less dangerous. What if you fell off of a cliff because you couldn't see where you were going?

"Look, we're not leaving for another three days. You don't have to give me an answer right away, so just think about it, okay?"

You nod, and go back to eating.

You didn't say anything, but you noticed that she didn't offer up any kind of compensation. You don't know how to feel about that. It's a selfish thought, but you can't afford to work for free.

Still, you'll keep the offer in mind.

June goes back to fussing over Tate's hair, and you feel a smile creep over your face as she manages to work her fingers underneath her hat.

"Knock it off, I mean it! Nyx, don't just sit there! Help me!"

You shrug.

Better her than you.

.

..

...

..

.

You leave the Sanjo residence with a slightly miffed Tate in tow. You tried to speak with Rex before you left, but she scowled at you, then turned back to Kon.

You wonder if she's upset with you about what happened the last time you came here...

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

You turn to Tate, and move a hand to your face to stifle a laugh. Her hat is still in her hands, and her hair has been pinned up in a style very similar to June's.

"Relax... You l-look fine."

She's not buying it, and rightfully so; She looks like a cotton candy pineapple.

"I look like a cotton candy pineapple!"

Another snort escapes your lips, and Tate jabs you with her elbow hard enough for it to hurt. You actually clutch your side from the pain, she hits hard...

You're still laughing though.

You start walking towards the sewers. It's time to go to the hospital.

"Hey, Nyx? Was that June girl flirting with me? I can't tell."

You start climbing, and don't respond.

"Hey, I'm serious! Nyyyyx!"

.

..

...

..

.

After several minutes of climbing and walking, (and some more whining from your travelling companion.) you arrive at the lobby to Harbei hospital. As you walk past the front desk, you notice a small sign posted on top of the counter.

_We're sorry, but the Mogwai Wing is no longer accepting new patients._

You feel your core sink inside of your chest. You didn't think things would start grinding to a halt this fast...

You feel Tate tap you on the shoulder, and you turn to see what she wants. Her face is slightly pensive.

"Hey, I think I'm gonna head out. I won't stay out late or do anything crazy."

...That was out of nowhere. You're curious about why she wants to leave all of a sudden, but you respect her privacy.

"Sure. I'll see y-you when I get home."

"Yeah... see ya."

She turns, and you watch as she heads back out the door.

Weird.

You take the elevator up to the top floor. You step out, and are relieved to see that the garden is as beautiful as the last time you saw it. As you head towards the main building, you make sure to take as many deep breaths of fresh air as you can.

This may not be here soon.

You eventually reach the reception desk for the Mogwai Wing. Quinn is slumped over in her seat looking the most miserable you've ever seen her. Puffy dark bags line the bottom of her blood shot eyes, and her fingers shake as she nurses a cup of coffee. When she finally notices you, a small bit of life comes back to her face as she smiles sadly.

"Hey Nyx, here to see Io?" Her voice is lacking any of her usual enthusiasm, and it sounds she's making a conscious effort not to sound completely depressed. You imagine that since she's the head receptionist, news of Yorshk's death must have reached her; probably by Ven or Wake. Despite whatever's on her mind, she's trying to stay professional, and you extend her the same courtesy.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll get you a visitor's pass in a second."

Quinn reaches underneath the desk, and then hands you a plastic card with an elaborate design on the front.

"You remember where the room is, or do you want me to show you?"

You shake your head.

"I'm g-good. I'll find it."

She quietly sighs with relief, then nods. She must be swamped with work...

"Alright, just make sure to hand that in before you go."

She sits back down in her chair, and gazes into her cup.

You'll definitely make sure to check up on her before you leave.

You retrace your steps until you find the metal door with Io's name tag on it, and press the card to the lock. It slides open, and you step inside.

.

..

...

Of all the things you expected to see, Io reading a large book is not one of them.

But right now, she's sitting upright on her bed, and absolutely immersed in a crisp looking copy of Sign Language For Brainlets Vol 1. Just off to her side is another bag of oranges.

You can feel your smile reaching the corners of your face.

You clear your throat, and her head snaps up with a start. She takes one look at your face, and immediately lights up.

"Nyx! You came!"

You wave, and she slides the book underneath her pillow.

"Sorry I haven't called. B-Been really busy."

"Whatever, you're here now! Sit!"

You laugh as she pats the empty space on her bed... but quickly frown as you take a look at her good arm.

She's lost more weight since the last time you saw her. She might be in good spirits right now, but it doesn't look like she's gotten any better. And judging by her attitude, you're pretty sure that no one has told her about Yorshk either.

You'll have to tell Io after you've spent a bit of time with her; you're not about to spoil the mood right away.

What will you do? (Pick two.)

**[X] See how much sign language Io's picked up so far - You'd be more than happy to help her learn, especially since she's doing it for you.**

[] Convince Io to take a walk around the wing with you - The fresh air would do her some good, and you can look at the garden together while you're at it.

[] Talk to Io about the concerns that you have with your relationship - You still can't help thinking about Eve often, and you don't know if there's anything you can do about it. You need to make sure that she understands that fully.

[] Grab Io's bag of oranges, and feed her - It's been a very long time since you've been able to dote on someone.

**[X] Slide onto the bed next to Io, and cuddle - After everything you've been through, you just want a bit of physical comfort.**

[] Write-in. (Keep it clean, you degenerates.)


	24. Arc 2: Part 21

You take a seat next to Io on her bed, and kick your shoes off.

"S-Slide over. I w-wanna lay down."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see a blush, along with an expression of shock on Io's face. You turn to face her head on, and are a little amused to see that she's frozen completely still.

The surprise quickly wears off, and Io practically hurls herself across the bed to make space for you. She looks back up at you with a giddy smile. You roll your eyes, and bring your legs up over the side of the bed. You slide over until you're resting just a few inches away from Io.

You take both of her hands into your own, and run a thumb along the top of her good hand.

You give Io what is probably the most earnest smile that you've shown anyone in some time, and she responds in kind. Most surprising to you is the fact that she seems more than content to stay quiet in the moment.

It's probably the happiest that you've ever seen her.

"What w-w-were you reading just now?"

"Awww, you saw? I was really hoping to surprise you!"

You remove your hands from hers, and start to sign out letters. It's not as fast as traditional gestures, but you want to see just how much she's grasped so far. She watches your hands in concentration.

"...When did I start learning? Is that what you just asked?"

You nod, and Io pumps her fist.

"Nailed it! I started two days ago, so I'm still trying to memorize my letters."

You point towards your other palm, then press your finger into it, before drawing both hands back towards yourself.

"Oh waitwaitwait! I know what that means! You just said _'show me'_, right?"

You nod again.

"Okay, sure! Let me know if I'm doing it right, okay?"

She takes her good hand, and slowly begins to make her way through the alphabet. She has to pause several times to remember the gestures, but that's to be expected; you certainly didn't pick it up in a single day.

"S-Stop."

"What did I do wrong?"

"That's a J, n-not an I. You have to keep y-your hand straight for that."

"Oooooh."

After the correction, she goes through the rest without making another mistake. You have to admit, you're impressed.

"...Are you sure you s-started just learning? It took me _weeks_ to m-memorize all of that wh-when I first started out..."

"Pffft. It's not like I have anything better to do in here. I mean, everyone treats me good, it just gets really lonely here sometimes.

"Hm? Doesn't B-B-Beck come to see you?"

Her smile shrinks, just a little.

"Yeah, but Becky's been a little... ahhhhh, that's not important right now! I wanna know what you've been up to!"

You move in closer until both of your foreheads are touching. It's been a long time since you've been this intimate with someone. It feels wrong, <strike>_you traitor._</strike> good.

There's a brief moment of doubt that echoes through your thoughts, but you put them aside, and focus on the here and now.

You sigh deeply, and Io takes her bandaged arm, and strokes the side of your face with her hand. Her fingers tremble violently as she does it, but her pride won't let her show any weakness.

You see a small patch of black peeking out from underneath the bandages, and you wince.

"D-D-Does it hurt?"

The smile on Io's face disappears completely, and you realize right away that you've just said the wrong thing. She looks at her arm with a pensive expression.

"Nah, I don't feel anything at all." Her tone is so dispassionate that it makes your core ache with sympathy.

You have no idea how you're going to break the news to her... You're not ready for this yet.

"...Something bad happened, didn't it? I can see it on your face."

You inhale sharply, and try to pull away, but even in her weakened state, the strength of Io's good hand pressed against your back is more than enough to keep you in place.

"Hey, I dunno what's going on, but I can't help you if you don't talk to me, Nyx."

The concern in her eyes is so heartfelt, that you can feel tears starting to well up.. It's irrational, but you feel so horribly guilty about everything that's happened.

You can't help it. You sniffle, then grab onto her collar as you choke back your tears.

"I'm so s-s-s-sorry Io..."

She pulls you close against her, and kisses you tenderly on the cheek.

"I know you probably don't wanna hear it... but **I love you**, Nyx, and there's nothin' that you can say or do to change that, so please..."

She moves her face in close, and you shut your eyes as she kisses you again.

"Let me in."

The dam breaks, and the horror of everything that's happened aboard the Tenebro comes flooding back to you in an instant.

You tell her everything.

The mission to space.

The eggs.

The aliens.

The horrible ordeal that you and Tate went through... and all of the death that followed.

Including Yorshk's...

You're a sobbing mess of snot and tears, but Io hasn't stopped holding onto you tight since you started pouring your core out to her.

"It's okay. It's _**not**_ your fault."

Her voice is strong and sure, without an inch of doubt. And even though you know that it's a put on, that's she just as sad and scared as you are, it gives you a faint sense of hope that you didn't realize you were so desperately in need of.

"Everything will be okay. We'll get through this, Nyx."

She repeats the words to you like a mantra, gently stroking your hair as she rocks you back and forth.

Even in her worst hour, she's only thinking about staying strong for your sake...

"Io, I ca-"

"_**Shhhhhhhh...**_"

She pulls your head down until you're resting against her chest.

"C'mon, get some rest. I'll wake you up before it's time to go." She speaks with a soft assurance that reminds you all too much of your Eve; but to your own surprise... you aren't thinking about her at all.

Even now, as you close your eyes, and lean into her warm touch, all that you can see in your mind right now, is Io. And even though everything is miserable right now, you feel soothed just being next her.

As you drift off into sleep, you mumble unconsciously.

"Mmluv you..."

And just before you fade away completely, you feel her squeeze you even tighter.

"Yeahhhh, I knew you'd come around..."

.

..

...

..

.

You are **Klein Gremory**, and you've really fallen off of the wagon this time...

You're currently sitting on the ground outside of the Long Life Diner, nursing a really nasty bruise on your cheek.

Things with you and Eve have been... strained lately over what to do about Nyx, and since she left you to take care of Liang while she started work on Belle's farm, you haven't heard from her in some time.

You wound up doing what you've always done: Look for easy comfort, whether it's in the arms of a woman, or at the bottom of a glass of alcohol.

Today was the latter, and although you must've spent at least six-thousand yuan on drinks over the last several hours, the staff didn't take kindly to you making drunken advances on their waitresses, and asked you to leave.

When you told them no, you're weren't expecting another patron to enter the conversation and tell you off, much less for it to be Ann of all people. Still, you were drunk, belligerent, and in enough of a bad mood to pick a fight with anyone.

But you certainly didn't expect Ann to be able to throw a haymaker hard enough to put you out the front door and onto your rear end.

You hear her feet moving behind you, and then her hand grabs you roughly by the collar, yanking you back onto your feet. The blow to your head (and ego) has sobered you up significantly, but you still wind up tipping back over. She grabs you by the sleeve of your jacket to help steady you, and once you're able to stand upright, she sucks her teeth, and scowls at you.

"Are you going to listen to me, or do I have to go upside your head with a bottle this time?"

You shake your head, and groan in pain.

"Can you...ugh... Can you remind me what you were saying? I'm terribly sorry, but the last few hours have been a blur."

Ann sighs, and places a hand to her temple. After exactly ten seconds, she exhales and begins to talk.

"Okay... now for the fourth time tonight... Some _really_ bad stuff went down last night, we're trying to think of some ways to raise money, and Eve asked me to come and get you."

At the mention of Eve, your eyes widen with fear for her safety.

"Something happened? Is she hurt?!"

"No, but everything is a mess right now. Everyone is headed to the farm, and it'll be easier to go over things once everyone gets there."

She walks over towards the seating for the shuttle bus that passes through, and plops down unceremoniously. She nods her head at the empty seat next to her, and you slowly make your way over, and sit down.

Neither of you speak for several minutes as you wait for the bus. It's not that you dislike Ann, or anything of the sort, but you're admittedly more than a little embarrassed by your earlier actions... even if you don't recall them.

Eventually, you take the plunge, and speak first.

"Why didn't she just conjure me to her side instead?"

Ann gives you a flat look before leaning back in her seat.

"She said that she didn't want to **'interrupt'** you."

"Ah! I see..."

You manage to maintain your composure in spite of the blush on your face. Thankfully, she seems indifferent.

You take a look down the road, and see the shuttle bus coming, however...

"...Ann, _look_."

A little farther down the road, you can see someone limping in your direction.

You both stand up, and start to speed walk towards the person.

As you get closer, you realize that you recognize that head of teal hair...

It's Luca... but she looks to be in extremely bad shape. The lenses of her glasses are completely broken, and several jagged shards of magical ice are jutting out from her chest, and left leg.

You turn to Ann, and take charge of the situation.

"Go to the hospital, and tell them we need help!"

She nods, then takes off in the direction of town, while you head towards Luca. You quickly run over towards her as she collapses onto her side.

Despite the vicious looking wounds, she appears to have no trouble breathing. You summon a fairy circle to heal her wounds as best as you can, but the ice shards remain stuck in her body.

"That's about the best that I can do for now... What happened to you, Luca?"

She tries to push herself off the ground, but her stamina is spent, and she falls down before she can even get halfway up.

"Stay still! Help is on the way."

Luca groans feebly before muttering something you can barely hear.

"We can't stay here. It's coming."

"What are you talking about?"

Luca manages to prop herself up and point towards a blue flame shining in the distance.

"You have to kill it... or run."

She collapses again, but falls unconscious this time.

You turn towards the flame, and ready your sword.

It gets closer, and as it moves close enough for you to make out a silhouette against the trees, you're given a moment of pause.

"_...Nyx?_"

It's her, but... something feels _**wrong. Unhinged.**_ Her hair hangs down freely against her shoulders, and there's a strangely vacant expression in her face, that changes to one of purpose once her eyes meet yours.

You don't know what she wants... but it can't be good.

What will you do?

[] Stand your ground, and fight - You can't afford to move Luca with those wounds, but you're not about to leave her here either!

**[X] Run, and take Luca with you - Getting Luca to safety should be your first priority, whatever issue Nyx has with you now can wait!**

[] Run, and leave Luca behind - Never mind the hospital, you've got to flag down anyone that can help!


	25. Arc 2: Part 22

No. It's too dangerous to try and face Nyx in such close quarters. You look towards the stairs, and see a hallway that stretches farther than you can see.

You lift your legs one after the other, and march in place for more than two seconds. The magic spreads to Frey as well and begins to work immediately. Everything around the both of you slows down to a crawl, and as you rush over to scoop up Luca, you call out to Frey.

"Up the stairs! Hurry!"

You bound up the steps in a burst of speed, and hurry towards the door at end of the hall. You throw the door open, and move to the side as Frey comes in right behind you. She slams the door, and hurries over to the dresser on the wall.

"Help me block the door!"

You set Luca down on the floor, then move towards the other side of the dresser. You grab your end, and Frey does the same. Neither of you waste time counting, and lift. With your combined might, the dresser slides against the door with a loud thunk, and you slide against the wood to catch your breath. Just above you, Frey places an ear to the wall. After a couple of seconds, she looks back to you with a grim look on her face.

"She's just standing outside of the door..."

You curse under your breath, and slowly slide away from the dresser, careful not to make too much noise.

A loud gasp escapes from Luca, and she breaks down into a coughing fit on the floor. It seems as though all of the jostling woke her up. Frey looks over at her, then quickly crosses over to the closet at the far side of the room.

"We gotta get that ice out of her before she dies from frostbite! Get those clothes off of her, cut around the ice if you have to!"

You quickly do as she says, using your claws to rip the fabric of her shirt and lab coat. Now that you can actually see the area around the wounds, you realize that the damage is much worse than you initially thought. The skin surrounding each puncture has turned black and purple. You aren't sure what it means, but it can't be anything good. Frey takes a spot next to you and kneels down. She's holding a dry hand towel folded over, and small jar with with a thick red paste inside. She unscrews the top, and then thrusts the jar into your hands.

"What is this?" You ask.

"Just put it on your hands; It'll keep them from freezing over."

You reach inside, and scoop up a moderate amount of the paste onto your hand, and start to rub it into your skin. It tingles at first, then gradually changes into a hot, soothing sensation. Frey looks back down at Luca, then removes the half-broken glasses from her face, and checks her pupils. She taps her on the cheek, and Luca's eyes dart around wildly, before focusing on the two of you. She tries to lift her head, but Frey pushes a hand onto her forehead to keep her from moving. She leans in, and speaks low.

"Don't talk, and don't move. You're hurt really bad, and we're going to remove these icicles before we move you again. Nod your head if you understand."

Luca slowly nods, and Frey gently pushes the hand towel towards her mouth.

"Open and bite down. This is gonna hurt."

She turns back to you, and takes some of the paste for herself. As she rubs it in, she speaks to you.

"Alright. On the count of three, we're gonna pull the icicle in her chest out. Once it's out, I'll start on the ones in her leg while you close the holes. Got it?"

You nod.

"I'm ready as soon as you are."

She places her hands just above the base of the icicle, and hisses from the contact. You place your own hands just above hers...

"Gah!"

And you're not even remotely prepared for how cold it is. Despite the coating on your hands, they feel as if someone had placed them on a bed of sharp pins. You grit your teeth, and tighten your grip, locking eyes with Frey, who starts the countdown.

"On three, two, one... pull!"

You both pull, and the icicle slowly starts to give way, making horrible squelching noises as it exits Luca's body. She squirms and lets out a deep bellow of pain that's muffled by the towel in her mouth. You can feel your hands starting to go numb, and you can see Frey fighting back a snarl, but the both of you persist until the last of the icicle is removed. Frey quickly casts it to the side, and starts to pull out the others; they're much smaller, so she has little trouble with it.

She notices you staring, and bears her fangs at you.

"What are you waiting for?! Heal her!"

"R-Right!"

You snap out of it, and place your now completely numb hands near the wound. You summon a fairy circle, and watch as the hole in her chest slowly closes and knits back together. You move down to her leg and repeat the process, and when you're finally done, you realize that your hands have a light layer of frost on them. Frey applies more of the paste to herself, then grabs your hands, and does the same.

"T-Thanks..." Your teeth chatter from the cold, but the warmth quickly returns to your body as the paste takes effect.

You hear a loud bang on the other side of the door, and turn around to see several small splinters fly off from the wood.

Frey runs over to the window and slides the glass panel up.

"We should be able to jump down from here. can you stand?"

There's another bang against the door, and the lower half of the door snaps inwards, pushing the dresser a couple of inches forward.

Luca groans in pain, and feebly tries to get her arms underneath her. You help pull her off the ground, but she stumbles against you before losing her footing once more. You quickly grab her, and place her onto your back, wrapping her legs around your torso in the process.

"Luca." You say urgently. "We don't have much time; I need you to hold on."

You feel her arms clasp together around your shoulders. Frey opens the window the rest of the way, then jumps out, landing quietly on the lawn outside. Carefully, you place one leg over the windowsill, and onto the storm drain just underneath.

You hear a thunderous crash behind you, and Luca tightens her grip on you. There's no time for to try and climb... you're going to have to jump.

"Hang on!"

You bring your other leg over, then push off the side of the drain.

.

..

...

You successfully land on both feet with little impact. You turn your attention back upstairs, and see a gust of snow blow out from the window. Two seconds later, and Nyx's head appears in the window. The dull eyes staring back at you are deeply unnerving, and you quickly avert your gaze back to Frey.

She's beyond furious, but is doing her best to keep herself calm.

"Klein, set her down... we shouldn't be moving her around like that. Carry her with your arms instead."

"That won't be necessary." Luca wheezes. "I think I can stand on my own now."

Luca lets go of you, then pushes off of your back. Thankfully, she's able to keep herself upright this time. She reaches two fingers towards her face to move her glasses further up her nose, but frowns once she realizes that she's been without them the entire time.

"I do believe that I owe the both of you my life. Thank you."

You shake your head, and gesture a hand at the building.

"Never mind any of that. What in the world was that just now?!"

"Complicated... I need to go to the hospital. I need to have a talk with the Mogwai wing's head Doctor."

Frey recoils as if someone hit her, and she turns her head away from Luca's gaze.

"...She passed away the other night."

"...I see. That makes resolving this incident very difficult."

Something in Luca's eyes hardens, and she lets out a deep, almost melancholy sigh.

"We should leave before it decides to take up pursuit again. In the meantime-"

Luca reaches into her skirt pocket, and places several thick stacks of yuan bills onto Frey's hand.

"...What is this supposed to be for?" Frey scoffs. She's more confused then she is offended.

"This is me buying your silence." Luca states gravely. "You two cannot speak a word of this to anyone. Do you understand me?"

"But my house-"

Luca continues talking as if Frey hadn't spoken up.

"-Will be intact once it leaves. It's mainly looking for ties to its point of origin, so it won't be there long."

"Why do you keep calling Nyx an it?" You ask.

"Do you really want to ask this right now?! I'll explain everything to you once I have some painkillers in my system... so stop prattling on with your useless questions, and take me to the hospital!"

It's the first time you've ever heard Luca lose her temper, and it catches you completely off-guard. As you and Frey reel from the outburst, Luca slowly walks down the road, leaving the two of you behind.

At that same moment, Ann and two paramedics with a stretcher rush through the clearing. Luca instantly takes advantage of the situation, and pretends to faint. You and Frey watch as they carefully situate her on the stretcher, and wheel her off with Ann in tow.

They must not have seen you or Frey.

"I don't believe this." You mutter. "That absolute ingrate..."

Beside you, Frey speaks in a tired voice.

"I really don't have the energy for this right now..."

"I'm going to head over to the hospital with Ann and Luca; will you be alright?"

Frey stares off into the distance, completely ignoring you altogether. She looks distraught about something, and you can see a fresh set of tear streaks on her face. You want to say something... but you have no idea what's wrong, or how to even approach her.

You decide to leave her be, as you're likely to make things worse if you say anything.

You take one last look up at the window.

There's no one inside.

You turn around and hurry to catch up with the others, but you make sure to cast an eye over your shoulder every now and then.

(Luca and Frey are no longer in mortal danger...but Klein's status remains unchanged.)

.

..

...

..

.

You are Nyx Ronove, and this is the most comfortable that you've been in a very long time.

Right now, your head is resting on Io's stomach. Ever since you woke up, she's been talking to you about some of her plans for when she gets released; one of which involves the two of you going shopping for something new to wear.

You aren't exactly convinced though; you like your current clothes just fine.

You honestly haven't been listening for a while now, you've just been content to relax and not have to worry about anything.

"Well, it's about that time anyway! Go on home, and we'll talk later, okay?"

You blink, then quickly sit back up.

"Wh-What was that?" you ask.

Io rolls her eyes.

"I saiiiid, you need to go home, Nyx. Visiting hours are almost up!"

You feel slightly disappointed that you have to leave, but you move off of the bed anyway.

"D-D-Do you want me to bring you a-a-anything next time?"

Io shrugs but gives you a smile all the same.

"Nahhhh... they're probably gonna discharge me soon if they can't replace... well, you know. But I'll just go back to seeing Luca if it comes down to that!"

You stiffen a bit at the mention of Luca. You still haven't gone back for a checkup. Then there's also the issue with Tate seeking her out as well...

"Hey... don't space out on me!"

Io snaps her fingers in your face, and you cut her a glare.

"D-Don't d-d-d-d-do that..."

"Only if you stop worrying so much! Everything will be okay..."

She gets out of the bed, and wraps you in the tightest one-armed hug you've ever experienced.

"So go home, get some rest, then worry about all the stuff you're gonna do tomorrow!"

She lets go of you, and you plant a small kiss on her lips, causing her to giggle when you pull away.

"I'll see y-y-you around, Io."

"Love you too, Nyx!"

You blush furiously at the words, then quickly rush out of the room.

As the door closes, you can hear her giggles turn into full-blown laughter.

It puts a smile on your face.

You make your way back toward the front desk, and hand Quinn the card key.

"Thanks for visiting Io." Quinn says with a tiny smile. "You really make her very happy, you know."

You ignore the blush rising to your face, and nod.

"Yeah, she m-m-makes me very happy t-t-too. Thanks for looking out f-f-for her."

The smile on Quinn's face brightens up significantly, and she reaches over the desk to give you a quick hug.

"Thanks Nyx, I really needed that. You have a good night!"

She moves back, and you silently wave good night to her. You turn around to leave... and think better of it.

Something compels you to turn back around. You can't leave Quinn here like this without asking what's wrong.

You move back towards the desk, and Quinn smiles back at you curiously.

"Oh, did you forget something?"

You shake your head.

"I just wanted t-t-to ask how you were doing."

Her lips tighten up into a grateful, but very exhausted look. She slides her upper half down onto the desk, and it's like watching a balloon deflate.

"You're the first person to ask me that all day, do you know that? I heard about what happened, and..."

"Will you b-b-b-be alright?"

"I'll be fine, but this place..."

She pauses for a moment to grab the coffee pitcher at the other side of the desk. She fills her cup again, then knocks back the entire cup.

You think she might have a problem...

"...Everyone here right now is a volunteer. No one is getting paid for this, and we're losing staff by the day. The Queen came by personally to assure us that's she's looking for a replacement for Yorshk but... we don't know how long that's gonna take."

She reaches for the coffee pitcher again, but you put a hand on her wrist, and shake your head.

She sighs irritably, but pulls her arm away from the coffee.

"If we can't keep this place staffed until we find someone... they're going to discharge everyone, Nyx... some of these Mogs can't even move on their own."

You feel a great deal of sympathy for her. She's probably been working around the clock just to keep the Mogwai Wing running.

"Is th-th-there anything I can do to h-help?"

Quinn looks back up at you, contemplating your question. After a moment, she speaks.

"Would you be willing to volunteer here for a few days? You don't have to worry about not having any medical knowledge, we need people for even the simple stuff... Actually...!"

She perks up, then grabs the pitcher and fills the cup once more before you can stop her. She drinks the entire cup, then gives you an appraising look.

"I know it might be a reach, but would you be willing to take a trip to Middeluge for me? I was hoping to reach out to Yorshk's family and see if any of her relatives might be willing to step in as her replacement... but I'm stuck here!"

You didn't even know that she had family, let alone any with medical credentials. Not that you bothered to ask, but it still takes you by surprise. You aren't sure how you feel about traveling that far. You might be able to take the sewers to Snowver, but you aren't all that keen on going to the Den by yourself for any reason. You also have another person in mind that could work as a substitute.

"What about L-L-L-Luca? She's a Doctor."

Quinn shakes her head.

"Yeah, but she doesn't have a degree. The best I could do is put her on board as a consultant... but that's it. I need people with the actual credentials."

"Oh..."

"Hmm... You know, if you want to take my job for a day or two, I could take Frey and go up there myself!"

You see her eyes growing large with hope, and you feel as though you may have made a mistake in offering your assistance.

"It's not hard, just a lot of answering calls, running around, and paperwork! It'll probably be really slow until I get back!"

She grabs your hands and moves close to your face.

You can feel your resistance weakening.

"Nyx, I'm sure you're really busy, but if you help me out... you'd be doing a really good thing for everyone... and we'd all be grateful."

You take a moment to consider your options.

It's in your best interests to do what you can to keep the Mogwai Wing running for Io's sake, but dealing with large amounts of people for long amounts of time isn't something that you feel comfortable with. Still, if it means keeping Io healthy... you'll do whatever you have to.

You could also head up to Middeluge, and search for a replacement yourself. You’d be able to search as you please... but being in the Den could potentially lead to another run in with Han. And if you were to look, it would have to be soon; you still haven't responded to June's request.

But you could always turn down the offer. You're still unemployed, and you still need to raise that money for a VHS player as soon as possible.

What will you do?

**[X] Agree to watch the Mogwai Wing for Quinn tomorrow. (Your shift will start the next day, and you would be unable to travel for the entire day.)**

[] Agree to watch the Mogwai Wing for Quinn tomorrow... for a price. (Your shift will start the next day, and you would be unable to travel for the entire day. Earn 10,000 yuan upon completion)

[] Agree to travel to Middeluge for a replacement Doctor. (You can take up to seven days to complete this, but failure to do so will result in the closure of the Mogwai Wing.)

[] Agree to travel to Middeluge for a replacement Doctor... for a price. (You can take up to seven days to complete this, but failure to do so will result in the closure of the Mogwai Wing. Earn 40,000 yuan upon completion.)

[] Apologize, and decline Quinn's request - You need to get your own life on track first before you think about trying to help anyone else.


	26. Arc 2: Part 23

You briefly consider asking Quinn for money, but decide against it. You doubt that they can afford to spare funds at the moment.

As badly as you want it, a VHS player isn't worth the suffering of others. Besides... what would Eve think of you if you acted so selfishly?

You smile back at Quinn, and nod.

"I don't m-m-mind watching the place for you. What t-time should I c-c-c-come in tomorrow?"

You barely process the movement as Quinn pulls you into a fierce bear hug.

"Oh Nyx! **Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou~!**"

...Despite lacking any kind of skeleton, you still hear something crack in your midsection... how is she so strong?!

She eventually lets you go, and starts moving about behind the desk in a hurry. You see her take a small stack of official looking papers with multiple signature points on the pages, and place them into a manila envelope. She ducks under the desk, but you can hear her with no issue as she tends to her business.

"The trip shouldn't take more than half of the day, but try to get here first thing in the morning if you can. I need to run over your responsibilities, and teach you some basic first-aid before I leave!"

"Sure." You say flatly. Inwardly, you groan. The last thing that you expected was to have to sit through some sort of class in the morning, but you suppose it makes sense. It wouldn't be practical to work at a hospital and not know some form of first-aid.

"Great! Can you wait for a little bit before you go? I need to call Frey and let her know so she can start packing."

You nod her head... but immediately realize that she can't see you from where she is. Once she pops back up from under the desk and sets her things down in front of her, you nod again. She smiles, picks up a cellphone packed into a cute case shaped like a strawberry, and starts dialing a number.

She sways to and fro as she waits for Frey to answer, and her eyes brighten instantly the moment that her girlfriend picks up.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Oh... oh, me? I'm hanging in there! Listen, I found someone to watch the reception hall, so I can take the day off. Yeah! That means we can go up to Middeluge like we talked about! Can you pack some food for us? Huh... wait, _what?_"

You watch as Quinn's face scrunches up in what looks like concern.

"Well, why can't you go home right now? Okay... you know I trust you. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. We can rent a room for the night, and buy some snacks on the road then. Sound good? Huh? Who's gonna watch the desk?"

She looks towards you with a smile.

"Nyx said she would! Wha? W-W-Whoa, calm down. Yes, I'm looking at her right now. **Ow!**"

Quinn winces, and pulls the phone several inches away from her ear. You can faintly hear Frey's agitated voice coming from the speaker.

"Frey. Frey. _Freeeeyyyyy... Frey!_ You're speaking too loud! ...Thank you, now can you start over please? Uh-huh... Uhhhhh-huh...."

Quin tilts her head to the side. She's frowning now, and her eyebrows are furrowed in a way that reminds you of a parent listening to a child telling a strange story.

"Frey... I know things have been hard on you, but... have you been eating the mushrooms in our backyard again?"

Frey's indignant response is so loud, that you can hear what she says with perfect clarity.

"It was that one time, and it was an accident!"

"Yow! Okay, okay! I believe you... just don't... huh? Yeah, she's been here at the hospital for most of the day. Oh... alright."

Quinn goes quiet for a moment, then switches back and forth between looking at you, and her phone. She sighs, then hesitantly holds her phone up to you.

"...Would you mind talking to Frey? She really wants to speak to you."

You take the phone from Quinn, and hold it up to you ear.

"H-Hello?"

"...Hey."

The voice on the other end sounds nothing like the gruff tone you've come to associate with her. She sounds worn, and emotionally drained.

"Uh... can you do me a favor, and move away from Quinn for a second? I don't want her to overhear any of this..."

Without you saying anything, Quinn quietly excuses herself, and takes a walk down the hall and around a corner. Her hearing must be really good.

"S-She's gone."

Frey exhales, and you can hear a slight waver in her voice. She's clearly under a lot of stress about something.

"Nyx... I trust Quinn, and I believe her when she says that you've been at the hospital, but I gotta ask... are you mixed up in something weird right now?"

You have absolutely no idea where this is coming from.

"N-No. Why?"

"Look..." Frey begins. "I know this is gonna sound weird, but earlier tonight, I saw Klein and Luca getting chased. Luca was in a really bad way. The chase spilled into my house... but we all got away. The person that came after us..."

She pauses, as if uncertain of whether or not to continue.

"...she looked _just_ like you, Nyx."

You feel a prickle of fear move down your spine. Your earlier conversation with Tate come back to mind. Suddenly, her warning seems all the more reasonable. Still, you can't imagine someone as timid as Mick willingly hurting someone, let alone using your face to hide the crime.

...Unless there's another mimic in the picture that you don't know about.

Eventually, Frey gets antsy at not getting a response, and starts talking again.

"I'm serious. I know I said it looked like you, but something was... off. Like all the lights weren't on upstairs. I was looking at someone dead inside... I don't know how else to explain it."

"What about L-Luca?"

"Klein and that Conjurer with the heavy beer smell had to take her home. The paramedics couldn't admit her."

"_What?!_"

"They really wanted to... but the hospital isn’t legally allowed to take on any new patients in a wing without an onsite Doctor. None of the volunteer staff have the qualifying credentials..."

"T-That's horrible!" You feel angry, and helpless all at once.

Frey sighs sadly, likely feeling the same way that you are.

"Yeah, it is... Klein and I were able to take care of the worst of it, so I'm sure she'll be fine. She probably won't be able to get out of bed for at least a week though. Doubt it'll stop her from trying though..."

The other line goes silent, and you take a moment to contemplate her words. If Luca is incapacitated, then you may not be able to get a proper checkup... but Frey's story of another "Nyx" has you very concerned. You'll need to talk to Luca if you want to find out anything. Tomorrow is out of the question on account of your promise to Quinn, but you'll make sure to let Tate know so she can stop by and sort out her affairs.

Frey starts talking again once the silence stretches on for too long.

"I don't know why, but Luca didn't want me to say anything to anyone. She even paid me to be quiet, but I just thought that you had a right to know."

"T-Thanks Frey, I ap-p-p-preciate it."

"Just promise me that whatever's going on won't put Quinn in any danger."

You're a little bewildered at this. Everything that she's told you has little to do with you, other than a case of mistaken identity.

"F-Frey, I don't have anyth-th-thing to do with this. H-Honest."

"**I don't care.** Just give me your word."

There's something broken and desperate in Frey's voice that keeps you from trying to argue with her. It reminds you a little too much of yourself at your worst.

"Nothing's g-going to happen to Quinn. You h-h-have my word. B-B-B-B-Besides, she'll be with you the whole t-time anyway."

"Yeah... You're right. I uh... I just... I'm just a little paranoid right now, I guess. Thanks Nyx... you can put Quinn back on now."

A part of you wants to ask what has her so upset, but Quinn has already turned the corner with a tray of sandwiches in her hand. She sets it down on the desk with one hand, while holding out the other. You give Quinn the phone, and she resumes her conversation.

"Hello? Yeah. No, I still have two more hours till I'm done. Oh? Oh, okay. I'll see you soon. I love you!"

Quinn smiles as she ends the call, then turns her attention to you. She pushes the tray closer, and you take a sandwich.

It looks like peanut butter and honey.

"Thanks for hearing her out."

You take a small bite, chewing slowly as you savor the taste. Once you're done with your portion, you reply.

"No problem."

Quinn nods, and the two of you eat together at the desk. You finish the rest of your sandwich, but politely decline another when she offers it. You're still thinking about how upset Frey sounded over the phone.

"H-Hey."

"Hm?"

"About Frey... Did s-s-s-something h-happen? She sounded really d-d-depressed."

All of the good cheer leaves Quinn at once, and you can't help but wonder if it was just a put on in the first place. She sighs not once, but twice, each one more severe than the last. When she looks back at you again, you notice the bags under her eyes that weren't visible before.

"Frey used to be very close to Yorshk back before the war."

That's not the answer you were expecting in the slightest.

"Huh... Wh-What do you mean b-b-by close?"

"...She used to be her nanny. They were practically family, the way she tells it."

"_**WHAT?**_"

You can't quite restrain your shock at that. Yorshk was never someone that you could ever picture as a parental figure.

"It's so sad..." Quinn continues. "They were just starting to reconnect after all this time. She's never lost someone like this before... and she's not taking it well at all. I remember how I felt when my Conjurer..."

She starts sniffling, then begins to cry in earnest shortly thereafter. You put a hand on her back to comfort her... but that actually seems to make her cry even harder.

"I can't stand to see her hurting like that... but it feels like nothing I say seems to work!"

Quinn sobs into her hands as you rub her back. You remember just how broken you felt on the day that you felt your Eve pass away. You also remember not being able to properly grieve for quite some time afterwards, given the circumstances at the time.

A small, sympathetic smile reaches your face. Frey is lucky to have someone like Quinn.

"The b-best thing you can do for her r-right now, is to remind her th-th-that she's loved. It means more to h-h-her than you know."

She lifts her head up, and turns to you with sad, yet hopeful eyes. It doesn't look right on her.

"...You think so?"

"I know I w-w-w-would've given anything for that at m-my l-l-l-lowest point..."

You've never spoken to Quinn about your own history, and you have no real desire to bring it up, but you couldn't help but be honest with your opinion in the moment.

At least she's smiling again. It's not a big one, but it's there.

"...You're a big softie at your core... aren't you?"

"_Gah!_"

You turn away, flustered at her choice of words, and you can hear her laugh behind you.

"Go home and get some sleep, Nyx. I'll see you tomorrow bright and early!"

"Y-Y-Yeah. S-S-S-S-See you then."

You start to walk away from the desk, but you feel Quinn's hand grab yours.

"I know I said it before... but thank you so much for what you're doing for us. It might not seem like a big thing to you, but it really is. I won't forget this."

Her voice is thick with emotion, and there's no doubt in your mind that she genuinely means it. You don't quite trust yourself to say anything without getting her too worked up again, so you settle on gently squeezing her hand back, and walking out of the Mogwai Wing.

.

..

...

You arrive at the front door of your house with no issue. You had hoped to see either Mick or Ven on your way home, but neither of them were in the sewers as you passed through; you'll have to speak to them at a later date. You put the key in the door, and push it open.

The lights in the living room are out, but you see Tate laying face up on the couch. She's using her hat as a makeshift pillow, and is staring intently at the ceiling for some reason. She angles her head towards you as the door closes shut.

"Hey, how'd your visit go?"

You tell her the news about Luca, making sure to leave out the bits about Klein, Ann, and the potential mimic. You also tell her that you'll be watching the reception desk for most of the day as well. She gives you an approving smile.

"That's a really nice thing you're doing."

You snort.

"You're the s-s-second person to say that. W-W-What about you? Are y-y-you going to see L-Luca t-t-t-tomorrow?"

Tate hums, and looks back at the ceiling.

"Maybe. Depends on if I can actually fall asleep."

You take a seat next to her.

"Want to t-talk for a bit until you f-f-feel sleepy?"

She doesn't say anything, and you start to feel a little uneasy; you're used to Tate being much more talkative than this. Eventually, she breaks the silence.

"Hey, um... about earlier? Sorry for bailing on you like that."

It takes you a moment to recall what she's talking about. You weren't offended by that at all, and it's a little strange to you that she seems to think that you would be.

"D-Don't worry about it; it's n-n-n-not like we're attached at the hip."

"I know, but I still felt bad about it... I just started getting really anxious out of nowhere, and I needed to get away from everything for a while."

The sense of unease in your stomach starts to grow, and you can hear several warning bells go off in your head, but you aren't about to ignore your friend when she's clearly not in a good way.

"Tate...? Are y-you alright?"

Her response is flat and direct.

"No Nyx, I am _not_ alright."

"......D-D-Do you w-w-w-w-want t-t-to talk?"

You grimace at the sound of your own voice, but wait patiently for a responsible.

.

..

...

....

After several minutes of being ignored, Tate finally sits upright on the couch, then turns to you.

There's a hollowness in her eyes that unsettles you deeply.

"My face still hurts, you know. From when that thing latched on."

Your breath hitches, and you visibly stiffen. This is heading into extremely uncomfortable territory, and you aren't sure if you can say anything to make her feel better.

You say nothing, and wait for her to gather her thoughts.

They all come spilling out at once.

"...I've been trying to sleep for the last five hours, but I just keep replaying everything over and over in my head. I'm always the one that they rely on... but if it wasn't for you and the others... I would've been dead twice over already. Laying blind on the floor, choking on poison... I've never felt so helpless in my entire life."

Tate looks down at her chest and clutches at it with a trembling fist.

"That thing came out of _my core_, Nyx... does that mean I was a mother?"

Her shoulders start to quake with quiet sobs, until the dam finally breaks, and she looks back up at you with a tearstained face scrunched in agony.

Her voice is small and pitiful, in the truest sense of the word.

"_...Does that mean I killed my own kid, Nyx?_"

You have to interject, and stop that train of thought right there.

"_Listen_ to me T-Tate, that thing was a m-m-m-monster; nothing more. Y-Y-You're a hero, and e-e-everyone knows it. You s-s-saved us."

"_**Then why does it feel like all I've done is lose?!**_"

She doesn't resist as you pull her in for a hug.

She doesn't cry, she _screams_.

She clings onto you for what feels like dear life, and your entire body rattles as she screams into your chest. Your core aches in sympathy as you try your best to comfort her. She continues screaming until her voice starts to crack, and she pushes away from you without warning.

She moves back to her original position on her back. Her eyes are turned away from you in embarrassment, but she's still sniffling.

You have to say something.

"T-Tate... like I s-said before, you're w-w-welcome to s-stay as long as you n-need... but p-p-p-lease, get some p-p-professio-"

Tate scoffs, cutting you off midsentence. In that moment, the deep scowl on her face is all too reminiscent of the late General Yorshk.

"Tch. Nile said the same thing before I left."

"She's n-n-not wrong."

"I'll think about it. Go get some sleep, Nyx."

"What a-a-about you?"

"...I'll keep staring at the ceiling until I do."

It's very clear by the tone of her voice, that she's shut down emotionally. You're not going to get a positive response like this.

Quietly, you get up from the couch, and make your way upstairs. You look back down at Tate one last time, but she's still fixated on the ceiling.

This isn't something you can fix with just words. It's going to take time.

You head to your bedroom, take off your shoes, and collapse onto your bed with a sigh. You toss and turn for several minutes before getting back up. You look inside a dresser, and are pleased to see that aside from the furnishings, June was also thoughtful enough to leave you spare bedding.

You grab a pillow and a sheet, and go back downstairs. Despite expecting to find the opposite, Tate has already fallen asleep. She likely tired herself out. Quietly, you move her hat, lift her head, then gently place the pillow underneath. When you're certain that she isn't going to wake up, you drape the sheet over her, then head back to your room. You lay down once more, and after a few minutes of restlessness, you finally relax.

The last sight you see before you completely drift off, is the cardboard box containing your Eve's belongings.

Once you see what's stored on those tapes, you'll finally be able to completely move on with your life.

You're sure of it.

\---END OF FIFTH DAY---

(Pick one.)

[] Rain

[] Pike

[] Han

[] Ann

[] Caesar

**[X] Mott**


	27. Arc 2:Part 24

You are **Mott**, and right now, you're making the donuts!

Puchieve hasn't been home in a few days, so it's just been you and Kupu-Liang. You like him a lot. Unlike Puchieve, he doesn't put you on a diet, and he lets you eat things that aren't bright and goopy.

You especially like round things called 'donuts' that he makes for the shop.

He's still asleep in bed, and you had wanted to surprise him by helping him make the donuts. You watched him do it plenty of times, and you thought you had most of it figured out.

You started by getting up to the cabinet and throwing everything down onto the kitchen floor, so you wouldn't have to keep climbing back and forth.

You can't read, and it's really hard to tell the difference between the sweet powder, and the salty powder, so you stuck your head inside of both containers and ran your tongue on each, just to make sure. You found the butter, but it's hard to chop, so you just put the entire thing in the bowl instead.

You forgot how the rest went... but you always recalled seeing him put everything inside the hot box, twisting the knob on top, going away for a bit, and then pulling them back out later as the donuts.

You followed that logic, and put the bowl inside the hot box. After closing it shut, you twisted the knob, and went back to the store front.

Now that you're here, you climb up onto the counter, and grab the remote for the new TV that Kupu-Liang put out last week. You turn on the TV, and see a lady with long black hair standing on a beach. There's a bunch of bright colors, and words moving at the bottom of the screen, but you can't understand any of it. After a couple of seconds, the lady on the screen starts talking.

_"...And according to reports from several local fishermen, the entire population of delta smelts in the area have vanished quite literally overnight! This in conjunction with simliar reports of disappearing ocean life coming in from all across Solum have professionals vexed, and at a loss as to what could possibly be causing this phenomenon! The current working theory by Mogwai specialists is that the events of last night's mysterious battle over Solum may have triggered a territorial response from some sort of long dormant abyssal apex predator. We hav-"_

You change the channel.

You have no idea what they're talking about, but it doesn't sound fun.

The next channel is the one that shows funny looking people making food all day.

You like people, and you like food too, so you'll watch this until the donuts are done.

Before you can settle in, the knob on the front door starts to jiggle. You quickly turn the TV back off, and hide behind the counter as someone forces the door open. The intruder walks past, and you carefully peek your head over the countertop to see who it is.

.

..

... Oh! It's _Ny-cha!_ You haven't seen her in a long time!

You relax, and quickly come out from hiding to greet her. She ignores you, and continues walking towards the stairs.

That's weird... she always greets you with a headpat whenever she sees you. Maybe she needs something to eat? Food makes you happy, it would probably make her happy, too.

You call out to Ny-cha.

<"Hi!">

Ny-cha slowly turns back around, and you realize that she looks really different. Not good different, but bad different... Her face looks sadder than it usually is.

<"...Hi? Ny-cha okay?">

She keeps staring at you, but her eyes don't blink. Something's not right with Ny-cha.

It's scary...

Ny-cha takes a step closer, and you quickly scuttle away to the other end of the room. When you look back, Ny-cha has crouched down and tilted her head to one side. Slowly, she outstretches her hand, then speaks.

<"Can you help me?">

You chirp in shock. Can she understand you?!

You ask, just to make sure.

<"You hear?">

She nods her head, then repeats her question.

<"Can you help me?">

She sounds really distressed, but her face doesn't match the words.

You don't move... and neither does she. There's something wrong with Ny-cha... but you aren't sure what.

.

..

...

....

.....You smell something burning.

<"Donuts!">

<"...Donuts?">

You hurry back into the kitchen, and bunch of black smoke coming from out of the hot box. It smells bad....

Ny-cha looks at you with the same scary face she's been making since she came home.

You already know what she's going to say.

<"...Can you help me?>"

You groan, and try to climb the hot box in order to turn the knob off, but Ny-cha snatches you up in her arms.

<"_**Don't.**_ It's hot..."> She chides.

<"You help?">

<"...Okay.">

She sets you back down on the floor, then turns the knob off. After a few seconds, the thick smoke starts to thin out. She opens the hot box...

And while you can't make heads or tails of what you see, you come to the quick realization that the mess inside of the hot box is most definitely not donuts.

You feel ripped off.

<"I helped you... can you help me now?">

Ny-cha kneels in front of you again... but you aren't sure what you should do...

Puchieve taught you to always help someone if they need it... but something about Ny-cha makes you want to keep your distance. Maybe it would be better to go hide upstairs until Puchieve comes back home...

That doesn't solve your donut problem though. All of that climbing earlier made you really hungry. Maybe you could ask Ny-cha to make donuts for you? You'd be more than happy to help her with whatever she needs after that!

Or maybe you should go get Kupu-Liang. He always knows how to make things better; he can definitely help Ny-cha.

<"_...Please _help me?">

But she's asking for _your_ help...

<What will you do?>

[] Go upstairs and get Kupu-Liang – He knows a lot of things, maybe he can help her!

[] Agree to help Ny-cha - you aren't sure what she wants, but you'll do your best to help!

**[X] Agree to help Ny-cha... but only if she helps you clean the kitchen and make the donuts – You'll even share once you're done, too!**

[] Run away and hide somewhere until Ny-cha leaves - You don't feel comfortable around her...


	28. Arc 2: Part 25

You can't get all of this cleaned up by yourself, and the last thing you want to do is make Kupu-Liang any more upset than he already has been lately.

The sound of your stomach grumbling makes Ny-cha tilt her head again.

<"Are you hungry?">

You nod your head.

<"You make donuts? I help you!">

Ny-cha makes a tiny smile; you've cheered her up a little!

<"Okay.">

She kneels over all of the remaining ingredients that you put on the floor, and runs her hands over them.

The half empty carton of eggs crumples into itself before getting sucked into her hands like water through a straw.

You scream, and hide behind the doorway. You peek your head in, and watch as Ny-cha eats everything using only her hands. You didn't know she could do that!

When she's finished, she sticks her hands inside the hot box. When she pulls them back out, it looks super clean!

She turns to you, and you slowly creep forward from the doorway.

<"How do you make donuts?"> She asks.

If you had shoulders, you would shrug them. You thought you knew how, but you're missing some of the steps.

...Wait. You know what to do!

<"We get book! Shows the donuts!">

You quickly climb onto the kitchen counter top, and see Kupu-Liang's big book sitting on the edge. You pull it open, then carefully flip through the pages until you see a picture of the donuts.

You turn back towards Ny-cha, and point at the page.

<"Can you make?">

She walks over towards the counter, gently pushes you aside, and picks up the book. She spends a minute reading the pages, then sets it back down. You watch as she closes her eyes really tight, then claps her hands together.

As she slowly pulls them apart, a freshly baked donut plops onto the counter, complete with frosting and sprinkles.

You get closer, and take a quick sniff...

It smells like a donut...

You take a small bite.

.

..

...

....

.....

......

_This is the bestest thing that you have ever tasted in your entire life._ It's super soft in your mouth, and the frosting is sweet and creamy without overpowering the rest of the donuty goodness.

You open your mouth wide, and eat the rest in a single bite.

<"It's yummy! Make more?">

<"...How many more?">

.

...

....

......

.......You look at the tray full of donuts with a smile. You pick one up, and offer it to Ny-cha.

<"Try?">

She takes the donut from you, then looks it over in her hand before taking a bite. She chews it thoroughly the same way that you did, then swallows it. Her eyes brighten up, and she quickly reaches for another.

She swallows it whole, then makes a noise that you think is a happy sound.

<"...So good!">

Definitely a happy sound!

It looks like she's going to reach for another. You should probably stop her before she eats the whole tray.

<"Ny-cha, want help?">

She pauses in mid-reach, and her eyes go back to looking scary again. She doesn't say anything, so you follow up your question.

<"How help Ny-cha?">

She squints at you funny, then nods her head. She extends her hand, and something thin, black and goopy comes out.

She holds it out in front of your feelers... but doesn't touch you.

<"I need to know more."> She says. <"It hurts, and I want it to _**stop**_.">

You chirp in alarm. You didn't realize she was hurt!

<"I help fix! Where hurt?!">

Ny-cha shakes her head sadly, and taps her other hand against her chest.

<"...Here.">

Oh.

You don't think you can fix that...

<"I need to know more."> She says again. <"Please.">

She moves her goopy hand closer, and you inch back.

<"Share with me?">

<"Share what?"> You ask.

<"You. I need to know more. _Please share with me._">

Her voice sounds like she's really, really sad...

You're a little scared... but you can’t bring yourself to say no.

You slowly nod your head, and touch your feelers to her hand.

.

..

...

.... The feeling is nice and warm. Like when Puchieve cuddles with you when she watches TV.

Ny-cha pulls away, and the feeling disappears.

You don't feel any different, so that's good. You look over towards Ny-cha, and you can see the difference right away.

There's something in her eyes that wasn't there before. You aren't sure what it is, but it's there. She looks around the room for a moment, then looks back down at you.

She smiles at you, then pats your head the way that she normally does.

<"Thank you, Mott.">

**"Who's down there?!"**

The both of you jump as Kupu-Liang's voice booms from upstairs. Ny-cha looks around in a panic, but he's already halfway down the steps before she can move. When Kupu-Liang reaches the doorway, he looks between you, Ny-cha, and the donuts.

He scrunches up his face angrily, then relaxes. But not all the way though! He still looks super mad...

"...If this is your way of trying to make things up to me, it's gonna take a lot more than some baked goods."

Ny-cha looks confused. Kupu-Liang gets madder.

You go and hide behind the corner.

"Do you have _**any**_ idea how close we are to losin' this place?! You wrecked our entire livelihood, nearly strangled my grand-daughter, and now you waltz in here, acting like _**nothing happened?!**_"

"Uuuuuu...."

You're really scared... you've never seen him so mad before...

Ny-cha gently places a hand on his trembling shoulder.

"I'm not sure what I did... but is there any way that I can I make it up to you?"

For a second, it looks like Kupu-Liang is gonna explode, but then he relaxes, and takes a deep breath.

"...You're being completely serious right now, aren't you? You've never been the lying type."

He places a hand on top of Ny-cha's forehead.

"You sick? You even have your hair down..."

"But what about..."

Kupu-Liang raises his hand to shush her.

"...You look healthy enough. Alright... Guess that settles it!"

He claps his hands together, and pushes Ny-cha out into the store front. You follow them, then watch as he grabs an apron, and hands it to her.

"We can start by tidying up before we open. You already started on the donuts, but I still need to bake the rest of the goods for the day. You can sweep up until I finish... alright?"

Ny-cha doesn't complain, and quietly puts the apron on.

"...Okay."

"Good. Once Eve comes home, we're all gonna have a nice long talk. You just behave yourself until then."

He goes back into the kitchen without another word, and you quietly come back out of hiding.

You nudge Ny-cha's foot until she picks you up, and holds you close to her chest.

It's like she knows exactly what you want!

<"Ny-cha better?"> You ask.

<"I don't know yet. It still hurts, but... maybe not as bad?">

You nuzzle up closer, and Ny-cha gives you another headpat.

<"Ny-cha leave again?">

<"...Should I?"> She asks, and you can tell that she really wants to know. You don't want her to be sad again, so it would probably be good if she stayed. That way you two can make more food later!

<"Stay?"> You ask.

She brings her cheek down to yours, and gives you a hug.

<"...Okay.">

**("Nyx" has attained sapience... and exchanged DNA with Mott. Klein is no longer in mortal danger.)**

.

..

...

..

.

**\---START OF SIXTH DAY---**

You are **Nyx Ronove**, and you feel groggy this morning.

You didn't sleep very well, but you force yourself out of bed in order to keep your appointment with Quinn this morning. You walk downstairs slowly to avoid waking up Tate... but once you reach the ground floor, you realize that she's not here. The bedding you left out has been folded neatly on the couch.

It's probably for the best that you give her some space for now.

You still have some time to spare before you need to leave, so it might be a good idea to grab something to eat before you go to the hospital. You remember June telling you about a fish stand in town; maybe they open early enough for you to check them out now?

You could always see if Ven is back in the sewers. You have to pass that way regardless, but if you leave now, you'll at least have time to stay a while, assuming that she's actually there.

It may also be for the best if you just head straight to the hospital. Quinn did say "first thing in the morning", after all.

Before you can make a decision, your phone rings.

You pull it out, and see a number that you don't recognize.

What will you do?

[] Ignore the call, and go find the fish stand.

[] Ignore the call, and check the sewer path for Ven.

[] Ignore the call, and head straight to Harbei Hospital.

**[X] Answer the call.**


	29. Arc 2: Part 26

You look at the phone in your hands and debate ignoring the call, but decide against it. You can always hang up if it winds up being a telemarketer or something.

You phone up to your ear.

"H-Hello?"

"Been a while. Good morning, Nyx."

You hear the tired voice of your old pactmate, Caesar on the line. Despite everything that happened, you don't hold much in the way of ill will against him, as he's endured just as much as you have over the last two-hundred years. What always baffled you though, was the speed in which he recovered from his ordeal... and the fact that he went right back into service under the Queen. It's without a doubt, the biggest reason you've never sought him out since then. How he got this phone number is a complete mystery.

After a moment of silence, you answer back.

"Wh-What do you want, Caesar?"

"...Not even a hello, huh?" Caesar sighs. "Listen... Han asked me to-"

"If Han asked you t-t-t-to talk to me about s-s-something, I'm not interested."

"Sheesh, would you just listen for a moment? It's about those two Conjurers that had their pacts blocked!"

"...What about them?"

Caesar takes a deep breath.

"She wants to make sure that they recover alright. That whole "restitution" thing? She went with that Nile character to speak with the families of the deceased, and they accommodated them from out of their own pockets. Right now, she wants to see how far those Conjurers are willing to go in order to make things right before she removes the spell herself."

He pauses again before continuing.

"...And she wants to offer you a job as an observer of sorts."

You're completely taken by surprise.

"...She what? B-But why?"

"Look... it might be hard to believe, but Han's... changed. I heard that you two had it out not too long ago; now I don't know what you did..."

Caesar chuckles.

"...But whatever it was, it sure did light a fire under her butt! She wanted to speak with you personally, but I talked her out of it. Didn't think you would appreciate it."

"G-Good guess..."

"Heh. Well, that's why I'm willing to act as the go between. Anything you two want to say to each other, you can say to me."

You take a moment to think before replying. You were already concerned about Rain and Belle as it is, and had intended to check in on them at some point. There's no good reason for you to turn down the offer, especially if it means getting rewarded for something you were already going to do.

"What e-e-exactly does she want m-me to do?"

"Just observe them, and make sure they don't get into anything shady. The real big thing is that the other Conjurers can't get involved; It's not really a lesson if someone else does the work for you, you know? Han and I had to go talk to Eve and her friends last night about it... They didn't take it very well."

You frown at this. June had an entire plan laid out to raise money for them in the form of that expedition she was setting up. You'll have to follow up with her and see where things stand with that.

"Of course they w-would be mad..."

"I'm not gonna say that I agree with everything Han's doing... but I do think that those two should be the ones to carry the brunt of the responsibility."

You scoff.

"Like you did with L-L-Long?"

You regret the words as soon as you say them. That was a cheap shot to take, and you know it. He ignores the remark, and continues. He's either grown a really thick skin over the years, or he's just gotten better at hiding his true feelings.

"...Look, I need to get back to work, but I'll probably be in your neck of the woods sometime this afternoon. Will you be home later?"

You tell Caesar about the situation at the hospital, and that you'll be minding the desk for the day. He laughs earnestly in response.

"That's dang decent of you, Nyx. Why don't I just swing by there later, and we can talk things out in person?"

Before you can respond, there's a loud crash in the background, followed by the sound of an angry voice cursing up a storm.

"Oh great... some idiot's starting a fight by the gate again... I gotta go."

You hear a large amount of shuffling on the other end, followed by a click, signaling the end of the call.

That certainly wasn't what you were expecting in the slightest, but there's no point in thinking on it now. He'll likely come to you later today, and you'll be able to talk things out with him then.

You exit your home, and head for Harbei.

.

..

...

..

.

You arrive at the hospital with no issues along the way, although you didn't see Ven in the sewers on your way over either. You're a little concerned, but there's nothing you can do about it at the moment. You take the elevator up to the Mogwai Wing, and step out onto the garden path. Just off to the side of the entryway is Frey. You both seem to notice each other at the same time, and she quickly intercepts you on the way in, stopping just a few feet in front of you to sniff the air for some reason.

She pulls back, and her aggressive posture quickly disappears.

"Sorry about that... I just had to make sure of something."

You assume that she's talking about the incident from last night. You nod, but otherwise stay quiet.

"Quinn's waiting for you, so don't keep her waiting, alright?" She walks back over to her spot by the entryway, and shoves her hands into her pockets. She looks really out of sorts, but you don't want to upset her by asking any questions. You walk past her, and into the reception hall.

Quinn is already waiting for you by the desk. Next to her is a large white case with a built-in handle.

"Nyx, you made it!"

"Good m-morning, Quinn."

She smiles, and gives you an enthusiastic wave. As you get closer to the desk, she opens up the case, and you're greeted by a bunch of various items. You recognize some of them, but most of it is completely lost on you.

"Okay, we don't have a lot of time, so I'll try to make this as easy as possible to follow. Just to make sure, do know any sort of first-aid, Nyx?"

You shake your head.

"N-N-No... back when I s-still t-t-t-traveled, we all relied on magic f-for healing."

You feel your face start to grow a little warm at the admission.

"I mean, my C-Conjurer knew how t-to d-d-d-do that kind of thing, but..."

"But you never thought _you'd_ need to learn, am I right?"

"...Yeah."

"There's no need to be embarrassed, really! I'll try and get you through the simple stuff as fast as I can. That way, if something goes wrong while I'm gone, then you can at least take care of a minor injury."

She pulls out what looks like a single strap with a weird stick attached at the side. You have no idea what this thing is...

The smile on her face is gone, and despite her short height, Quinn reminds you of a stern teacher that you had back in school.

You do your best to pay attention.

"Okay, now I'm going to show you what a tourniquet is, and how to use it!"

.

..

...The lesson is over in the span of forty minutes, and despite its short length, you feel like you've learned a lot!

\---**Affinity raised with Quinn**\---

(_You've gained the "Medicine Mog" perk. After a quick, but effective study session with Quinn, you've learned how to stop heavy bleeding, set and splint minor broken bones, and check a pulse. This perk's abilities can be raised upon further positive interactions with Quinn._)

...

..

.

"Okay... that's about all that I can show you with the time that I have."

As Quinn packs up the equipment, you smile to yourself in satisfaction. You're pleased with yourself for picking up the basics of something as complicated as this as quickly as you have... though you have to give some serious credit to Quinn; you never expected her to be such a great teacher. Whenever there was something that you couldn't grasp initially, she would reword her explanations until they made sense, then make you repeat after her until you understood.

When she finishes packing everything away, she puts the case underneath the desk, then turns her attention back towards you.

"Do you have any more questions?"

"No. I t-t-think I've got it."

She claps her hands together, and giggles happily. It's a far cry from the awful mood she was in last night, and a part of you wonders how much of her good mood is actually genuine.

"Good! So with that stuff out of the way, let me show you what it is that you'll actually be doing for most of the day."

Quinn motions for you to come around to her side of the desk, and you do so. It's surprisingly spacious with a lot of storage space underneath. There are several built-in cabinets on one side, and a neatly organized workspace with two empty paper bins and a rubber stamp on the other. In between everything is a large book with dozens of names written on them in bold red ink.

You see Io's name around the middle of one page, and realize that this must be the current patient roster. Hanging on the space directly behind the counter are the keycards, and just below them is a sink, three clean mugs, and a well-worn coffee maker.

Quinn starts by pointing at the two bins.

"So the staff will stop by from time to time, and give you some paperwork to sign off on. Just look over anything that shows up in the inbound bin, put a stamp at the bottom, then put it in the outbound bin!"

She jerks a thumb behind the desk.

"The keycards for the rooms are kept over there. If anyone comes for a visit, you just reference the name they give you with the room number next to the patient roster over here."

She grabs you by the hand, and leads you back to the desk. She puts your hand on the roster, then guides it to a random name. On reflex, you read it aloud.

"W-W-Wei Wukong... Room t-two-one-one..."

You're struck with vague sense of familiarity at the name, but Quinn pulls your hand back and guides it over to the keycards before you can ponder it any further.

"And there it is right _here!_ Just make sure that anyone who takes one of these brings it back, okay? If you feel like someone has been alone with a patient for too long, don't be afraid to check in on them."

You raise your hand to ask a question, and Quinn nods.

"W-W-What do I do i-i-if the phone rings?"

You're pretty sure that if Quinn were less of a sweetheart, she'd probably be rolling her eyes right now. Instead, she laughs good naturedly.

"Answer it, silly! Most of any calls you get today will probably be from people trying to find out the status of a patient. All of that stuff is in the cabinets on the side, and it's in alphabetical order, so if you wind up needing to look up a patient chart, please, please, _**please**_, put everything back the way you found it when you're done."

You nod.

"I'm f-f-following along so far."

Quinn smiles back, then snaps her fingers as she remembers something.

"Almost forgot! There's an hour lunch break around noon, so if you decide to take your break outside, just make sure to put a little sticky note on top of the desk. I forgot where I put my stickies... but I'm sure you'll be able to find them if you look around! Oh, and feel free to stretch your legs and walk around if you need to. Just try not to go too far from the desk if you do."

She does a quick count on her fingers as if going down a mental list, then nods her head in satisfaction.

"And that should be everything! Any last questions before I go?"

You take a moment to think about it, but nothing comes to mind. Quinn has done an excellent job of laying everything out for you.

You give her a confident smile.

"I' think I've g-g-got it from h-here."

"Then I guess I'd better not keep Frey waiting any longer than I already have!"

Without warning, Quinn grabs you by the midsection, and squeezes you in a tight hug. She let's go after a second, and you watch as she hurries off towards the entrance.

"Thanks again, Nyx! You're the best!"

The front door closes behind her, and you quietly settle into the chair behind the desk. It's going to be quite some time before Quinn gets back, so you may as well make yourself comfortable in the meantime. This shouldn't be too hard.

.

..

...

..

.

You are so bored... and it's only been fifteen minutes since she left. Apparently in her haste, Quinn completely neglected to mention the boredom that comes with this kind of work. You feel as if you've been trapped inside an alternate dimension where a single minute lasts for an entire hour.

You're gonna go crazy if you don't find something keep yourself occupied!

But what can you do?

You recall the patient list, and idly flip through the pages.

You see Wei's name again, plus several others that you recognize. Apparently, Big Sean and Chip are here as well. You're curious about what they're being treated for, but you aren't about to look at any of their charts without a reason that doesn't involve being nosy.

Out of curiosity, you look for the keycard to Io's room... but frown once you realize that it's missing. Does that mean someone came to visit her this morning? If so, there's a very good chance that it's Beck, and the last thing you want to do is interrupt their time together.

You could always take a quick walk around the wing to familiarize yourself with the layout, just in case you need to give directions.

You could always peek in on the other patients to pass the time as well. Not that you're looking to talk, but you know how unpleasant it can be to stay cooped up in a room by yourself for too long. A little stimulation can go a long way.

You consider doing these things... but at the same time, the responsible part of you is more keen on staying put until it's time for your break.

Whatever the case, you've been left completely to your own devices. How you choose to spend your time in the Mogwai Wing is up to you.

What will you do?

(Quinn and Frey will return from their trip in five turns.)

[] Check in on a patient. (Choose between Wei, Big Sean, or Chip.)

[] Take a speedy walk around the wing - You can't give good directions if you don't know how to get there yourself.

[] Check in on Io, and see who has the keycard to her room - You're sure that Quinn probably forgot to tell you that someone was visiting, but better safe than sorry.

[] Stay at the desk until someone comes - You're here to do a job, and that's exactly what you're going to do, boredom be dashed! Maybe try some coffee while you wait?

[] Change perspectives for a single turn. (Choose between Avi, Han or "Nyx".)

**[X] (Write-in) Take a speedy walk through the wing, quickly checking on patients as you go. Not enough time to chat properly, but it'd be good to get a sitrep on how they're all doing while you get a lay of the land. Preferably find & leave a sticky note to notify your absence if possible.**


	30. Arc 2: Part 27

It may be a good idea to take a quick look around and familiarize yourself with the layout. While you're at it, you can peek in on the patients and introduce yourself. It'll be a good way to brush up on your social skills.

You take a look at the rack of keycards, and hesitate. You didn't think about it before, but if you really want to check in on everyone, that would also mean taking each of these with you. You briefly scan the keycards, and see one with the word ‘Master' written on its holder.

Just what you needed.

You take the keycard, and make to leave the desk space... then quickly turn back around.

It's probably not a good idea to leave without leaving a note out for any staff that might come looking for you. You give the top of the desk a quick once over... but you don't find any spare sticky notes. You groan, and take a look around the rest of the area. You look by the coffee maker, and see something bright and yellow sticking out from underneath the full coffee pot. You lift up the pot, and find a whole pad of unused sticky notes.

You set the pot back down, pull a single note off of the pad, and write down a message stating that you'll be back in ten minutes. With that done, you head down the path to the left of the desk.

Most of the rooms down this path are empty, with one being occupied by a patient here and there. One of them winds up being a leviathan from the Sand Bar that recognizes you. Apparently, his name is Timmy. You have no idea who he is, but he mentions that he's seen you passing through the neighborhood often. You politely excuse yourself from the conversation with the (legitimate) excuse that you still need to finish making your rounds. The leviathan wishes you well as you leave the room.

Speaking with him has given you a bit of food for thought. You've been living in the Sand Bar community for a bit of time now, but you still aren't all that familiar with anyone there, although they seem to be quite aware of you. It may be a good idea to properly introduce yourself around the neighborhood when you can. You vaguely recall the Selkie that you spoke to when you were first getting yourself situated in your new home. Unfortunately, you can't seem to remember her name. You're sure it'll come back to you the next time you see her.

You continue down the end of the hall, and hit the first turn. The wing is designed in a circular fashion so that all of the pathways converge at the reception desk in the center, making it next to impossible to get lost. You notice that despite wandering around for about three minutes now, you've yet to run into any staff members other than a single Kappa doctor sitting with a patient inside one of the rooms. Maybe no one's here yet because it's too early. You sincerely hope that's the case...

You stop in front of the next room, and realize that it belongs to Io. You're about to open the door, but someone does so from the other side. You step out of the way as Beck steps out of the room.

You notice the difference right away.

Beck's already well-toned physique is even more pronounced than before, and her arms remind you of something that one might see on a sculpture. All of the muscle that you can see is extremely pronounced, with next to no traces of excess bodyfat that you can see.

But that isn't what disturbs you. Before she opened the door, you initially thought there was another Mog inside of the room with Io... which wound up being completely wrong. Beck is undoubtedly Human, but right now, her energy reads like a Mogwai, and something far less pleasant... It reeks of death, and the polarizing differences cause you to instinctually feel uncomfortable around her.

She turns to you, and smiles. You do your best to return it.

"Hey, Nyx. Haven't seen you in a long time. How've you been doing?"

You let go of a breath you didn't realize you were holding. Despite the... change, Beck is every bit as polite as you remember her.

"...I've b-b-been good. H-H-How are you doing?"

Beck's smile shrinks a little, and she sighs.

"Well... it's definitely been a ride. I just got back from Bowfort this morning. I was feeling pretty down in the dumps after all of that, so I thought I'd look in on Io before I went home."

You nod silently. You wonder if Beck's presence in Bowfort has anything to do with what you and Caesar talked about earlier...

When it's clear that you aren't going to say anything, Beck sighs again. This time, all of her positive energy seems to disappear.

"She's out like a light... It's weird. Normally, we'd be halfway through morning jog right about now."

"You at l-l-l-least look like you've b-b-been doing enough training f-for the b-b-both of you."

Beck rubs the back of her head bashfully.

"You know, it's the funniest thing. I just started making these huge gains a few months back, and at first I was absolutely stoked... but i really doesn't feel all that great right now. I'm out here getting better, while my best friend is wasting away on a hospital bed..."

She frowns heavily, and balls up her fists in frustration.

"It's not right."

You pat Beck's shoulder, but don't say anything. You doubt that there's anything you could say to make her feel better. That... and you still feel strangely unsettled by her for some reason.

It's irrational, but you want to get away from her as quickly as possible.

"B-Beck, I'm sorry to cut t-t-this short... but I'm working right now. If you're done visiting, would y-y-y-you mind giving me back th-th-that keycard?"

You point to the keycard clutched in Beck's fist, and she looks disappointed. She's always been good at reading others, so there's no doubt in your mind that she can tell how uncomfortable you are around her. She sighs again, and hands you the keycard.

"Yeah, I get it. You're busy. Well... Good seeing you; take care of yourself."

You don't waste another second, and quickly start speed walking towards the next room. Before you can open it, Beck calls out to you.

"Hey, wait a sec."

You turn around to see Beck looking at you with a serious expression.

"When you get a chance, can we talk? It's about Io."

"...What about her? I'm k-kinda busy..."

It's a half-truth, so you don't feel too bad about it. The look on Beck's face tells you that she's not buying the excuse.

"Look, I know it's not my business, but the last time I came for a visit, she told me that you two started dating."

You flinch in response, more out of embarrassment than surprise. Beck's smile returns, just a little.

"Heh, so it is true! If you're really that busy, then why don't I just come back on your lunch break? We can talk then."

It's clear that despite her easygoing nature, Beck isn't going to let you avoid this conversation... whatever it may be.

You nod your head, and she nods back.

"Alright then, I'll see you in a few hours."

She heads towards the exit, leaving you alone with your thoughts. The dreadful aura leaves with her, and you relax your posture.

If you had to make an educated guess, she probably wants to give you the third degree over your relationship with Io. It's irritating, but you can understand where her concern comes from. Still... you have no idea what to make of that aura. She said that she started getting healthier a few months ago. You can't help but wonder if there's a connection to Io's current state, but you don't know enough about it to come to any conclusions.

Once you've calmed down, you continue to look in on the patients. You actually run into a very friendly Isonade that you recognize from your first visit here. Her fin has just finished healing up, and she's due to be discharged later today. You congratulate her, and move on to the next room.

When you step inside, you spot a familiar looking Mizaru staring at the wall across from his bed, looking bored out of his mind. You look back at the placard on the wall that read's W. Wukong, and quickly connect the dots.

You never realized that Wei was his real name! You wonder why he prefers the name 'Wire' instead?

You move in closer, and his head quickly snaps in your direction.

"...Do I know you from somewhere?" He squints at you, then his eyes brighten with recognition.

"Oooooh now I remember, you're one of Eve's Demons! Nyx, right?"

You wince, but nod all the same. Modern terminology still sounds somewhat strange to you.

"Yeah. I'm f-f-filling in for Quinn today."

Wire gives you a very skeptical look.

"...You?" He snorts. "You can barely hold a conversation without stuttering over yourself, how are you gonna deal with- OW!"

Wire lets out a long string of curses as several of abdominal muscles start to visibly spasm. He quickly lays flat on his back, and takes several deep breaths until they stop. That looked extremely painful...

You grab a towel from the bathroom, then create a large chunk of ice. You wrap it up inside the towel then hand it to Wire, who lets out a long sigh of relief as he places it against his stomach.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... oh, that hits the spot..."

When his muscles fully relax again, he gives you an impish grin.

"Okay, maybe you've got some bedside chops after all!"

You roll your eyes. That's probably the closest you're going to get to a 'thank you' from him.

"Wh-wh-what are you even h-here for?"

Wire shrugs.

"Eh. I started getting some really bad muscle cramps outta nowhere. I ignored ‘em at first, but then they started getting crazy violent like you saw just a second ago. I checked in a few days ago, and the Doc's been giving me muscle relaxers. Problem is, they're not working all that well, and I've gotta get back on the road soon. They're gonna start shooting for the next season in a couple of days, and I really don't wanna get written out..."

You recall June mentioning something about Gwen and her pactmates getting roles on some luchador themed TV show or something. Is that what he's talking about? That kind of thing doesn't really interest you, but you nod your head anyway.

"Sounds rough. D-D-Did the doctors t-tell you when you w-w-would be discharged?"

"Nah. I'm still under observation since the spasms ain't gone away yet. Nothing for me to do, but sit around and wait." Wire crosses his legs, and lets out a grunt.

"Man, I would kill for some grub. You think you could get me something to eat?"

"Sorry, but I c-can't really leave the w-wing right now."

He folds his arms over his chest and pouts.

"Tsk. Quinn always got me somethin' to eat..." He grumbles.

You should probably leave before you snap at him.

"I'll be g-g-going now."

"Hey, wait. Can you do me a favor?"

"What?" Your voice comes out irritably, and Wire puts his hands up in response.

"Hey... easy, easy. Just wanted to ask if you could... maybe give my sisters a call; let em' know I'm doin' alright and all that."

"You c-can't do that yourself?"

Wire lets out a noise like a sheep being pulled around by the ear.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhh... We're not exactly on speaking terms." He says sheepishly. "I mean, I think they know I'm in the hospital. Coal was supposed to ring ‘em for me... but it's been a few days, and no one's come to visit. Just wanna make sure that they got the message, that's all."

It seems like he's concerned that his family might not care about his current state in the hospital. You don't know what their history is, but you doubt that would be the case. Neither Huo nor Xiu strike you as the types to shrug off family in spite of any bad blood.

"I c-can do that for you. Do y-y-y-you have a number I c-can reach them a-at?"

A grateful smile crosses Wire's face, and he relays the number to you. You tell him that you'll make the call as soon as you get back to the desk.

"Thanks. I really appreciate that." He turns to lay on his side, so that he's facing away from you. He raises his hand up, and waves you off.

"Go get outta here and do your thing. Just make sure that you actually call, alright?"

He settles into his pillow, and you excuse yourself from the room. You move onto the next turn, and see several more doctors roaming the halls now. You turn in towards the next room, but as you enter, a short, portly jinwu in a doctor's coat pushes you back out in a hurry.

"I'm sorry, but Mister Sean is still recovering from surgery. You'll have to come again later."

He shuts the door and struts past without sparing you a second thought. You want to look in on Sean, but if the doctor was that insistent on letting him rest, then you'll listen. You do however, make a mental note to look at his charts when you can. Sean may be a bit of an oaf, but you certainly hope he's doing alright.

You turn at the end of the path, and realize that the rooms in this hallway are doctor's offices. Most of the placards on the doors are empty. You walk past one door, then stop to examine the placard.

It reads Dr. Ose.

The door is cracked, and you can hear someone shuffling about inside. You doubt someone would be moving anything out of Yorshk's office this early in the morning, and even then, it would make more sense to leave her belongings undisturbed so her next of kin can look through everything first.

You slowly push the door open, and see a woman at the far end of the office rummaging through Yorshk's bookshelf. A pile of books is scattered on the floor around her, and it's clear that she's been in here for quite some time. The woman has her back turned to you, and long, thin jet-black braids obscure the rest of her body from your vision. You clear your throat, and the woman lets out a shrill scream.

"Eaaaaaugh!"

She jumps and fumbles the book, just barely managing to catch it in her hands. She turns around, and you're able to get a better look at her. If the yellow eyes weren't a giveaway, the woman is a Mogwai. You can't tell what kind of Mog she is, but she seems to have a water affinity. She's a bit shorter than you, probably Eve's height if you had to make a comparison. Her skin is much darker than your own, and her hair appears to be prehensile, as the bulk of her braids are standing upturned at her sides. Her face is sharp and angular, and you can see a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. She's dressed like one of the doctors here, but the clothes are much too large to fit her thin frame properly. She's also missing a name tag.

You don't know who this is, but it's clear to you that she does not belong here.

The two of you stare at each other for several seconds, until the woman wipes her head, and breathes a sigh of relief.

"My goodness! You gave me quite the fright!" Her pronunciation’s heavily accented, and it reminds you of the way that some of the older Mogs from the Deep Den speak.

You don't bother mincing words.

"W-W-What are you doing here?"

The woman arches an eyebrow at your stutter, and you can tell that your attempt at intimidation isn't working. She's calmed down now, and an easy smile plays on her features.

"Yes... about that. I was... a friend of Yorshk's. Yes." She nods her head as if affirming this to herself.

"I heard about what happened, and I was hoping to retrieve some belongings of mine before they were... thrown out."

She extends a hand in a friendly gesture. Her smile wide, and as friendly as can be, yet something about it rubs you the wrong way.

"My name is Ule Oedon. And you are?"

The pronunciation of her name is extremely difficult to follow, and as you try to wrap your head around it, she looks at you with a condescending grin.

"If that is too much for you, then you can simply call me O. Everyone else does."

She giggles at her own comment, then looks back towards you expectantly.

What will you do?

[] Introduce yourself, then ask Ule exactly what it is that she's looking for - If she's a friend of Yorshk's, there's no good reason not to give her a hand.

**[X] Ask Ule about what she's looking for, but keep your identity to yourself - You're willing to help... but you don't feel comfortable giving her your name. Not yet, at least.**

[] Give Ule the third degree, then make her leave - It doesn't matter if she was a friend or not, she needs to leave... but not before you find out what she was looking for here.

[] Kick Ule out immediately - Everything about this is way too shady. She's gotta go right now, no questions asked.

[] Write-in.


	31. Arc 2: Part 28

Everything about this is off... but you're willing to hear Ule out before you decide what to do with her. You look down at Ule's hand, and then shake your head.

"C-Can you tell me what it i-i-is that you're looking for?"

Ule frowns at your reticence, and pulls her hand back. She clicks her tongue and casts her eyes toward the floor.

"My... friend was in possession of several books that belong to me. It is of the utmost importance that I retrieve them. I haven't spoken to her in years, but I can only hope that she still held onto them..."

That explanation seems a little farfetched to you.

"Why d-d-did you wait?"

Ule gives you a confused look.

"Excuse me? I am not sure I understand what you mean."

"...If you two w-w-w-were friends, why didn't you come for your books sooner? Why wait until s-s-she's dead?"

It takes a moment for Ule to process what you just said, but once she does, she gives you an intense scowl.

"I don't appreciate your insinuations! I traveled all the way from my home in the Deep Den to get here!"

Both her nostrils and the tips of her hair flair upwards for a moment, before her anger dies down.

"...I wasn't certain if the rumors were true, so I had to be certain..."

Despite what appears to be a genuine show of sadness... certain things about her story aren't adding up.

"...H-H-H-how long did it take you t-t-to get to Harbei?"

The sorrowful look on her face drops into a neutral one.

"...Five days I believe."

You narrow your eyes; you know without a doubt now that she's lying.

"Yorshk h-h-h-hasn't even been d-d-dead for three."

"T-T-That's..." Ule trails off, and you can see a thin sheen of sweat starting to form around her forehead. You point towards the placard on the door.

"...And i-if you haven't spoken to h-h-her in years, how d-d-did you know about her p-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"

You struggle to get the word out, but to no avail. Ule gives you a pitying look that irritates you deeply.

"Are you well in the head?"

You take a deep breath, and try again.

"Pseud-d-donym. How could y-you know to look for Doctor Ose if you haven't s-s-seen Yorshk in y-y-years?"

You gesture at the Doctor's coat that she's wearing.

"That's a size t-t-too big for you to b-b-begin with; so I know y-you probably stole it..."

Before you can continue down your list of points, Ule lets out a long groan, and places three fingers to her temple in an exaggerated fashion.

"Alright, alright... Fine. You got me, but maybe we can work something out."

She reaches inside of her coat with slow, deliberate movements, and pulls out an absurdly large stack of yuan bills. She waves them in front of your face with a condescending grin, and upon closer inspection, you can see that each bill in the stack is worth one-hundred yuan.

"That's twenty-five thousand yuan right there."

She sets the stack on the desk, then pulls out another, and does the same with that stack.

"Fifty."

You watch in disbelief as she pulls out yet another.

"Seventy-five."

And another.

"One-hundred..."

And another.

"One twenty-five..."

...And another.

"One-hundred and twenty-five thousand yuan in cash."

You eye the pile of bills in awe. You have never seen this much money at once in your entire life...

Ule slams her hand on the table and snaps you out of your daze. She takes a seat on the edge of the table, and crosses her legs.

"I'd like to make a proposal." She points towards the door behind you. "You turn around, walk out that door, and pretend that you never saw me... and you can take that all of the money with you as you leave."

"...You're only m-m-making yourself look more s-s-suspicious. What m-m-m-makes you th-"

You're interrupted by a stack of bills that hits you square in the face. It lands at your feet, and when you look back up again, you notice that Ule has placed another stack on the table. Her eyes are narrowed into thin slits, and several of her braids are flailing about violently.

"Listen, and listen good, you irritating, stuttering simpleton of a Wisp: I am not leaving here without what I came for. Two-hundred thousand yuan is my final offer. Take the money, and leave. _I will not tell you again._" The meandering tone of her voice is gone, and in its place is one that's both stony, and overwhelmingly haughty. Despite the height difference between the two of you, she's doing an alarmingly good job of making you feel very small.

You take a moment to consider your actions... but your cellphone vibrates inside of your pocket before you can reach any conclusion. You look at your phone, and see a number that you aren't familiar with. You look at Ule, and she nods her head, but the look on her face is wary.

You put the phone to your ear.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Nyx. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

You hear Nile's voice on the other end, and you breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Nile? I n-n-n-never gave you my number..."

"Technically, you did when you filled out your application." Nile hums amusedly. It sounds like she's in decent spirits, but unfortunately, you're not in a good position to catch up with her at the moment.

"Nile, don't get me wr-wr-wr-wrong, I'm glad to hear f-f-from you, but-"

"But this isn't a good time, right? Don't worry, I'll be brief. I just wanted to let you know that I've sent over the amount that we agreed upon for the retrieval job... plus a little extra for everything you've done for Tate."

You gasp in shock. After the terrible way that things ended, money had been the last thing on your mind, and it never occurred to you that she would still be willing to pay you for the job.

"About Tate..." You want to continue, but your eyes move back towards Ule. She's watching your movements just as intently as you're watching hers.

"Nyx, you're doing more than you know for her. Trust me. Now that you have my number, we can talk later; I still need someone to mind the museum if you're interested."

You appreciate the offer, but you aren't sure if you still want to involve yourself with Nile and Ark right now. You don't know how Tate would react to that... and her mood seems to be a little unstable...

"I'll think about it."

"It's all that I ask. I won't keep you much longer, but before I go, let me offer you some **friendly advice**: Sometimes taking care of your loved ones means having to deal with things that make you uncomfortable."

"...What?"

You have no idea where this advice is coming from.

"And on another note..." Nile's voice drops down to a serious, but hushed whisper. "...If a deal sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."

"_What?_"

"Take care Nyx. Hopefully, I'll hear from you soon."

Nile hangs up, and you pull the phone away from your ear.

"Are you done?" Ule asks impatiently.

You put your phone away, and nod your head.

"Good. See yourself out then." Ule says dismissively. She gets up from the table, and continues rummaging through Yorshk's bookshelves. It seems that she assumes you're going to accept her bribe. You had considered it briefly... but something about Nile's strange advice seemed a little too coincidental to be unrelated.

You're not taking any chances; you're going to escort this woman out. You take a deep breath, then put a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Y-Y-You n-n-n-need to leave. N-Now."

Ule goes still before turning back towards you. She snorts, and brushes your hand away. Her hair starts to rise, and several braids reach out to gather the money left on the floor and table.

"Hm. A Wisp with a spine. Never thought I'd see the day." She says half amused. "Very well then, I know when I've been beat."

There's a flash of bright light, and Ule's shoddy disguise is replaced by a far more intimidating set of clothing. She's wearing an expensive looking jet-black pantsuit with an extremely ornate bit of dark embroidery stitched into the lower right-hand side of her top depicting a human ribcage and a skull floating amongst a group of bubbles. On the left is a wide yellow stripe that runs from her breast pocket all the way down to the bottom of her jacket. Her shoes are the same shade of black as her jacket, except the material appears to be made from dyed kappa scales; though the golden skull and crossbone buckles are likely custom touch.

Her ruby earrings glitter in the light as she fixes you with a stony gaze. She pulls a small steel case from out of her pocket and opens it. She takes a small card from inside, and holds it out towards you. You take it cautiously. It's surprisingly plain, with Ule's name printed at the top, and a phone number in the middle.

"If you decide to change your mind, call this number. I'll likely be staying in a hotel here for quite some time, and I am a stranger to these parts. There are other... loose ends that I need to address, and I could use the help of someone that knows the lay of the land."

You scoff at her offer, extremely offended. First she tries to play off her attempt at burglary with a bribe, then she insults you every other sentence, and now she's actively trying to buy your help?

You grab Ule by her suit, and the fabric scrunches up in your fist.

"I said, g-g-get ou-"

Something wet and sticky slams hard into your side, and sends you crashing into a bookshelf with enough force that it breaks upon impact, and several wall decorations near the surrounding area fall to the ground. Your push away the wood debris from your face in time to see Ule smoothing out her suit. The braid of hair that hit you falls back into place with the rest, and you can see a dark liquid dripping off of it.

You realize a little too late, that she's an Umibozu, and a very strong one at that...

"This is a Wujing original, and I'd greatly appreciate it if you kept your filthy hands off of it."

She casually walks past you, and opens the door without looking back.

"I'll be taking my leave. I hope you'll consider my offer."

She closes the door behind her without a sound, leaving you alone and slightly banged up. You take your time getting up, but as you do, something catches your eye. On the floor is a picture frame with a large photo set in the middle. You examine it, and see three familiar faces.

  
  
  


It looks like it may have been shot in a lab of some sort. On the far left is Yorshk. She's holding a pen and clipboard while smiling, albeit barely. In the middle, is a flustered looking Luca; She's being gripped on the shoulder by someone else smiling next to her.

It's Mickayla.

You have so many questions about this photo that you have no idea where to even begin, but the most pressing one is: how did these three come to know each other? It looks to you like they may have even been friends... Whatever the context, Yorshk cared about the memory enough to hang it on her office wall.

You place the picture on the desk, then survey the rest of the room. Aside from the broken shelf, nothing else appears to be damaged. You would stay and clean some of this up, but you still need to finish your rounds, and you've spent too much time in here as is.

You leave the office, and close the door behind you.

You walk down to the last remaining path on your route; stopping to introduce yourself to each patient as you do. You meet a very energetic Goober being treated for what her nurse is calling acute elasticity. Apparently, her body is unnaturally rubbery, and as a result, she has trouble performing simple everyday tasks without being tossed about violently by her own mass. You wish her the best of luck with her treatment, and continue on your way.

As you near the last room, you can faintly hear some easy-listening music coming from behind the door. You place your keycard up to the door, then open it.

Inside this room are two people, both of which you recognize. Seated on the floor between the beds is Chip. Her left leg is encased inside of a thick cast, and you assume that it's either broken or fractured. Sitting across from her... is Tony.

.

..

...You have no idea how he got in, and you aren't even going to ask.

There's a small radio playing music off to the side of them, and the two are engaged in what appears to be a board game of some sort. Most of the pieces have been taken off of the board, and only a small handful are on either side. They haven't noticed you yet, and as Chip moves her piece, you see her opponent give her a cheeky grin. He moves his white piece forward three spaces.

"And that's checkmate again, man. Five to nothin'!"

"**rrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHH!**"

Chip screams, and smacks the board away. She points at Tony with a shaking finger.

"You cheated!"

Tony groans, and starts picking up the scattered pieces.

"You said that last time too; Stop bein' a sore loser, man."

Chip sucks her teeth, then grabs the crutches leaning on the side of her bed. She pulls herself back to an upright position with little effort, then ambles over to her bed to sit down. She throws her crutches to the ground in frustration, and you can't help but snort. Both Tony and Chip turn their heads in your direction at the sound.

"Oh. Hey, ghost hobo. How're you doin', man?"

Chip huffs irritably.

"...What are _you_ doing here?"

You step inside the room, and explain to them that you're watching the reception desk for Quinn. Tony shrugs, while Chip hums thoughtfully.

"Is that right? Huh. Miss doom n' gloom herself is coming out of her shell, fancy that."

You ignore the jab.

"What a-a-about you? What happened t-t-to your leg?"

Chip sucks her teeth, while Tony laughs as he continues to retrieve the board game's playing pieces.

"...I fell."

"She fell out a tree tryin' to get some apples." Tony interjects. You look to Chip for confirmation, and she nods.

"Ann was supposed to stop by this week, so Rick and Blitz wanted to bake her an apple pie." She huffs and crosses her arms. You can see a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"She had to cut her visit short after what happened the other day. The Queen's still in town, so she's been busy trying to push a deal that'll get Smallmart in the Den." She sighs, and looks towards the window. "Never did get those apples."

"H-H-How is Rick doing?"

"...He's alright, just kinda cranky. After Ann's promotion, he was fine for the first month, but I dunno." Chip shrugs. "I think he's just worried that she won't take care of herself without him around to look after her."

"She's not g-g-gone that often, is she?"

You can't see Chip's eyes, but you can almost feel the deadpan stare that she's giving you.

"She's the regional manager. That means she's responsible for _every_ Smallmart in Piecewood; which means that she's always travelling now. Plus, she's friends with the Human ambassador, and her management knows it." Chip's tone goes bitter as she lets her back fall against her bed. "You'd best believe they're trying to milk that connection for all it's worth. That's how she got the promotion in the first place."

"Is she happy?"

"_**What do you think, dingus?!**_"

"Hey, man, don't take it out on ghobo. She's alright."

You groan at Tony's shortened nickname for you, while Chip grumbles.

"Whatever. Look, I appreciate the concern, but it's none of your business. I'll be fine, and so will the rest of my family."

"Okay." You leave it at that; you can respect her desire for privacy.

"I'll b-b-b-be heading back to the front d-d-desk. Let me know if y-y-you need anything."

Chip points at Tony. He's finished gathering all of the pieces, and has stashed everything inside of an unmarked cardboard box that he's holding with both hands.

"You can take him with you, that cheater's worn out his welcome."

"Ain't my fault I'm smarter than you. Get on my level, man."

Chip clenches her teeth, but calms herself down. You're pretty sure that the only thing stopping her from making a Tiny Oni slushy is the fact that her leg is out of commission. Still, you aren't about to chance it. You quickly grab Tony, and rush out of the room.

"Psh. What a baby."

You look at him curiously, but shake your head.

"I don't know h-how you got in, but you're not s-s-supposed to be here without checking in."

Tony gives you a surprisingly stern look. It looks disturbingly out of place on him.

"I _tried_ to check in, but there was no one watchin' the desk."

"Guh!"

You can feel your face turning red with embarrassment as Tony tuts at you. He pulls the keycard to Chip's room out of his loincloth, and offers it to you.

...You pinch it between your thumb and forefinger, and place it into your pocket.

"Oh come on, man... it's a front pocket, I ain't a savage. You're lucky I'm even bein' nice enough to give that back."

You groan.

"S-Sorry."

"Just don't let it happen again, man."

You can't believe that you're being admonished by a Tiny Oni...

You turn away from him, and hurry back to the front desk. It doesn't look like anything other than the single keycard is missing. You place the keycard back on the rack, and take a seat.

.

..

...

....

...

..

....."Are you really just gonna ignore me, man?"

"Agh!"

You nearly jump out of your seat from the sound of Tony's voice in your ear. You turn towards him with a flustered glare.

"W-W-W-W-Why are you still here?!"

Tony shrugs.

"Cause I'm bored. Also, Ven's not back yet; so I'm gonna hang around you for a while."

"You can't d-d-d-do that!"

"You can't tell me what to do, man. Besides, you owe me."

You shake your head, and throw your hands up in frustration. You don't care anymore. As long as Tony doesn't get in the way, you should be fine.

"Just d-d-don't touch anything."

Tony puts his box under the desk, then hops onto the counter by the coffee maker.

"Sure thing, man."

You pull out your phone, and take a moment to check your bank account. The records show a recent deposit of 75,000 yuan, bringing your total balance up to 92,050 yuan. If you play your cards right, you shouldn't have to worry too much about future expenses for quite some time... though there's still the issue of the VHS player.

You turn back to the desk, and take a moment to consider your options.

You recall your promise to Wire... You should probably try to call his sisters as soon as possible. You could also give Nile a call while you're at it. Much like Quinn predicted, there's barely any foot traffic, so you could probably get away with making a few calls, if you so desired. You could always talk to Tony to help pass the time as well; you're admittedly a bit curious about what brought him to the hospital of all places... among other things.

What will you do? (Pick three)

(Quinn and Frey will return from their trip in three turns.)

**[X] Call Huo and Xiu and tell them that Wire's been admitted - You did promise him that you would make the call as soon as possible.**

**[X] Call Nile and follow up with her - Aside from thanking her, you'd like to know how she and Ark are doing.**

[] Call Cache and inquire about the VHS player - You have some money to spare, why not get it out of the way while you can?

**[X] Call Patch and see if Luca is awake - You may not have any privacy here... but you have questions. Lots and lots of questions.**

[] Talk to Tony and ask him why he was visiting Chip - A hospital is an odd place to come when you're bored... There has to be another reason.

[] Talk to Tony and ask him about Ven's whereabouts - You haven't seen her in quite some time, and you're a little concerned.

[] Talk to Tony about the incident aboard the Tenebro - You were both there... But he seems largely unaffected by it. How?

[] Switch perspective to Frey.

[] Write-in.


	32. Arc 2: Part 29

You lean back in the seat and sigh; this is already becoming more of a headache than you expected it would be...

You pick up the phone at the desk, and punch in the number that Wire gave you. As you wait for someone to answer the phone, you see Tony fussing about with the coffee maker and a bottle of creamer. Before you can reach over to remind him of what you said about 'not touching anything', someone picks up on the line.

"Wukong Hobby Shop, how may I help you?"

You hear Huo's voice on the line, along with the sound of a bunch of people talking and laughing in the background; you guess business must have picked up for the shop since the last time you visited.

You put on your most professional sounding voice, and reply.

"Uh... Y-Y-Yes. This is the receptionist for H-H-H-Harbei Hospital. I'm calling on b-b-behalf of... W-W-Wei Wuko-"

You hear a long and drawn out groan from the other line.

"Alright... what did he do this time? I can't afford to pay for any damages at the moment, but I can put you in touch with his Conjurer if need be..."

"N-No, it's not like that! He's been admitted, and-"

"Excuse me for one moment, please."

The line goes silent for half a minute, and when Huo speaks again, there's no noise in the background.

"Sorry about that... I just needed to relocate." Her tone has become very sullen, likely in response to what you said a moment ago. After a second passes, she clears her throat.

"...How is he doing? How long has he been there? Is he eating properly? Is-"

You move the phone away from your ear as Huo goes down a painfully long list of questions. When you think she's finished, you calmly respond.

"He's not here f-f-f-for anything life threatening, b-b-but he wanted to l-l-let you and y-y-your sister know that he's doing okay."

"Oh, thank goodness! I'm sorry... I just assumed the worst for a moment. As long as he's going to be alright..."

"He wouldn't s-s-say it outright, but I think he's lonely. Do you think it would b-b-b-be possible for you to c-come by for a visit later today?"

Before she can answer, you hear another voice in the background asking for the phone. You hear the receiver shuffle about.

"Hey, this is Nyx, right?"

You're not surprised to hear Xiu on the line, but you are unnerved by the fact that she knew it was you without you having to say anything to her.

"How did y-y-you know?"

Xiu ignores your question.

"I really appreciate you calling to let us know about our big brother, and we'll definitely stop by to see him as soon as we can!"

Xiu pauses on the line, and you can hear hear inhaling through her nose, as if she were sniffing at the phone. The sound makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, and is extremely uncomfortable.

You want to get out of this conversation as fast as possible.

"H-Happy to help... you two have a goo-"

You wince and pull your ear away from the phone as Xiu lets out a loud screech.

"**Ook-eeek!** Hang on, I'm not finished talking!"

"S-Sorry?"

The line goes silent until you hear more shuffling in the background. Xiu exhales, and drops her voice down to a conspiratory whisper.

"...You're like me, aren't you?"

You have no idea what she means.

"Huh?"

"You've seen it... right?"

"I'm not sure I k-know what y-y-you're talking about..."

"The other side, Nyx!" Xiu exclaims. "I can smell the influence of the outer beasts all over you!"

"But we're talking ov-v-v-ver the phone..."

"_Exactly my point!_"

Despite it being nothing more than a phone, you can't help but quirk your eyebrow up in the direction of the receiver. This conversation has taken a turn for the increasingly bizarre. Xiu seems to pick up on your skepticism, and her next words are decidedly less 'enthusiastic'.

"Okay, look, I know you're not taking this conversation seriously... but you really should, Nyx. Has anything weird happened to you lately? Maybe some change in mood, or some dramatic shift in your life?

"I apprec-c-ciate the concern, but I f-f-feel p-p-perfectly normal."

It's the truth; you feel better than you have in many years.

"Yeah? Well..." She pauses, as if she's deciding whether or not to continue talking. You hear a dejected sigh on the other end of the line; she must have thought better of it.

"Alright... nevermind. I'll hand you back over to my sis for now. Thanks for calling, Nyx."

The line shuffles yet again, and you hear Huo's voice.

"I'm sorry about that! Xiu is pretty easygoing, but she can be really pushy when she wants to be." She chuckles. "Hopefully she didn't bother you too much!"

"No, n-n-not at all!" You lie.

"Hm. You know, I didn't even realize it was you on the line until Xiu said your name. How have you been doing?"

Her sudden curiosity for your well-being is more than a little surprising. Rather than lie about things, you decide to be honest with Huo.

"I've g-g-gone through a lot of ups and d-d-downs lately... but I'm hanging in there."

Huo hums approvingly.

"I'm glad to hear that! I remember when you first went missing... Eve was completely beside herself with worry."

"...I didn't know she t-t-told anyone else about what happened."

"Nyx... she spent weeks putting up missing person flyers all over Piecewood; I even kept a stack by my counter for the customers."

You feel a great amount of shame from Huo's words.

"I-"

"Whatever you're thinking of apologizing for, please don't. We're just happy to know that you're safe and sound. I know Eve is certainly happy to have you back."

You still haven't spoken to Eve directly since the incident from two months ago, but you don't bother to correct her.

"Y-Yeah..."

"Well I won't keep you any longer. I have to say, you never stuck me as someone comfortable working in a hospital!"

"J-Just filling in f-f-for a friend."

"Ha! Is that so? Well then, I might have to update your cards if you keep this up!" Huo laughs heartily. "I'll make sure to visit Wei as soon as I can, thank you very much for letting us know. Take care now!"

The line goes dead, and you hang up the phone.

"Coffee, man?"

You turn around, and see Tony holding up a mug of freshly brewed coffee. The top has a thin layer of foam applied, and you can see a surprisingly well made copy of your face drawn into the drink. You take the cup from Tony gratefully.

"Thanks..." You raise the mug to your lips, looking down at the drawing one last time.

...Do you always look this sullen to other people?

You take a sip. The flavor is much sweeter than you were expecting... in fact, it's really good! Tony watches your face with a satisfied smile, then plods back towards the coffee maker where his own mug is still cooling off.

He seems content enough to drink his coffee in peace, and you still have some calls to make.

You should definitely ring up Luca next; hopefully she's recovered enough to talk. You take out your cellphone, and pull up Patch's house number. You dial the number into the reception's phone, and put your cellphone away as the line rings.

It continues to ring for twenty seconds...

.

..

...

....But no one picks up.

You hang up, and press the redial button.

.

..

...

....

"...Hello?"

You hear Patch's voice on the line; it sounds like she's very upset about something...

"Patch? It's Nyx..."

Patches sniffles loudly before answering.

"Yeah... what's up?"

"Is L-Luca awake right now? I need t-t-to speak with h-her... It's important."

"Sorry... but I'm not letting her talk to anyone else today."

"Anyone else?"

"Yeah... that Mog you came by with yesterday; she showed up earlier with an old sack asking to see her. I don't know what she gave her... but Luca hasn't stopped crying since she left."

You'd forgotten that Tate had intended to speak with Luca... though you had no idea that their conversation would upset Luca past the point of being consolable. However, your need for information overpowers your empathy, and you push the issue.

"Patch, you _d-d-don't understand_. I need her h-h-help with something, and it c-can't wait."

"No."

You pause, and Patch continues on before you can say anything else.

"My best friend comes home banged up and half-dead at two in the morning, refuses to talk to me about what happened, and when someone does come to visit her, she gives her something that only upsets her even more!"

"I-"

"I said no, so **shut up!**"

You hear Patch breathing heavily on the line. After a moment of silence, she takes a deep breath, and sighs.

"I'm sorry... I just, I don't know how to help her right now..."

You stay silent. There's nothing you can say that would help in this instance.

"Look... I'll tell her you called once she's feeling better. Now just isn't a good time, alright?"

"...Alright. I'll t-"

The line goes dead before you can finish. Patch must be really upset if she's being this rude...

You lean back in the chair and sigh.

"Hey Ghobo. You good, man?"

You turn to Tony with a groan.

"W-What are you even d-doing here anyway?"

He takes a large gulp from his mug.

"Getting my chill back, man."

He doesn't elaborate any further than that. You take another sip of your coffee, and lick your lips at the taste.

"You like sweet stuff?" Tony asks, curiously.

You nod, and he gives you a toothy grin in return.

"Called it!"

"Is t-t-that why you made this s-s-so sweet?"

"Yeah, man! You just looked like the type. You need a refill?"

You smile at Tony's surprising thoughtfulness, but politely decline.

"N-N-No thank you, I need to finish m-m-making my calls."

"More for me, man."

Tony shrugs, and places the empty coffee pot into the machine's slot before pressing a button.

You turn back towards the office phone, and pick it up. You look through your cellphone for the number that Nile dialed you from. Once you find it, you put your cellphone away, and call the number.

The line only rings once before Nile answers.

"You got back to me a lot faster than I thought you would." She says in an amused tone.

"I j-just wanted to say thanks."

"I told you before, you've done more than you know."

"...How is A-A-Ark doing?"

"She's been sulking in our current place of residence. Tate... said some very hurtful things to her."

"Oh..."

"It's been a long time coming, to be honest." Nile sighs. "I just wish that it could've happened under better circumstances..."

"Yeah," You remark. "Life's n-never fair like that..."

"Hm. You certainly understand that better than most people, don't you?"

You inhale sharply, then calm down again as you realize that her comment wasn't meant to be a disrespectful one.

"I guess."

"I really don't have any right to complain, do I? I've already reached my 'happily ever after', but you..."

Your struck by a moment of curiosity, and interject before Nile can finish gathering her thoughts.

"Nile, I w-w-want to ask you something."

"...What is it?"

You take a deep breath.

"Y-Y-Y-You can see the f-future, right?"

There's a long pause on the line. You have no doubt in your mind that Nile is choosing her words carefully.

"It's... more like impressions of the future. Think of it as reading a newspaper: you get a general idea of what's going on, but that doesn't mean that what you've learned is set in stone. In fact, you might wake up the next day, and read the paper again, only to find out that yesterday's news has been completely redacted. Does that make sense to you, Nyx?"

Most of her explanation went over your head, but you think you got the gist of it.

"You see things, b-b-but they don't always happen?"

"That's close enough. I'll give you a better example. For instance... I knew that you wanted to ask me about Io's health, but I wasn't expecting a call from you about this until next week."

You suppress a shudder.

"I..." You stop, and swallow a lump in your throat. "I don't know w-w-where my life is going right now, but it f-f-feels like I'm finally starting t-t-t-to move forward. Io's been a b-b-big part of that, and..."

"...You don't know if you can do it without her around? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"...Yeah."

"I'm sorry..." Nile says in an apologetic tone, "but I can't answer that question for you."

You stay silent. You're more sad than you are angry.

"Nyx, before you get upset, think about it from my perspective: What if I tell you that Io survives, only for her to pass on months later from something completely unrelated? You'd blame me. And if I were say the opposite... then you would just give up now without even trying. It's not fair to you, or me."

"If you knew t-that I was going to ask... t-then why d-d-did you bother to pick up the phone?"

"Because I didn't know for certain, Nyx; That's what I'm trying to explain to you."

You sigh deeply, and feel tears forming at the corner of your eyes.

"Wouldn't y-you want to know?" You repeat yourself in an attempt to appeal to Nile's sympathy. "If you w-w-were in my shoes, wouldn't you w-want to know?"

You hear a fingernail tapping on the other end of the line. The sound drones on for nearly an entire minute before Nile breaks the silence with an exasperated groan.

"...Fine... but only this once, and never again, Nyx."

You exhale, and wipe your eyes.

"Th-thank you..."

"Not so fast." Nile says admonishingly. "Before I answer your question, I want you to answer mine first."

"Of c-course, whatever you want!"

"Please calm down before you hurt yourself."

Your focus snaps back to the hospital, and you realize that at some point, you'd gotten out of your seat with the phone, and started walking away from the desk with it. The phone cord is stretched to it's breaking point, and you quickly move back towards the desk, and sit back down. Tony gives you a side-eye, but you ignore him, and go back to your conversation with Nile.

"S-Sorry. I'm b-b-back now. What is it that you w-wanted to ask?"

"It's not exactly a conventional question. You can think of it as a riddle of sorts. Just make sure that you answer me truthfully. Once we're finished, I'll tell you what I see in Io's future."

You hear Nile take a deep breath. When she speaks again, her voice takes on a soothing quality, and you find yourself closing your eyes at the sound of her words.

**"Imagine for a moment that you're a child, living in a house near the edge of a forest with your parents. Your family is a happy one, and all of your days are filled with joy and laughter. One day, you leave your house to go and play near a creek until sundown... but a terrible rainstorm blows in, and starts pouring down blinding sheets of rain before you can make it home safely.**

**You stumble around blindly in an effort to get back home, but when the rain finally lifts... you realize that you've been walking in the wrong direction the entire time. You've somehow wandered into a town on the opposite side of the forest. The sun has gone down, and the forest is too dangerous to navigate at night, so you convince a local innkeeper to let you stay for the night in exchange for a day’s worth of labor tomorrow.**

**When you wake up in the morning, the innkeeper puts you to work right away, and by the time you are finished with all of your tasks for the day, the sun has set, and your entire body is exhausted. The innkeeper repeats her offer to you again: A night's rest for a day's worth of labor. You accept the offer. And the day repeats itself much in the same manner as the one before it.**

**Day in, and day out, you work for the innkeeper. Eventually, you do it for so long that thoughts of trying to go home are nonexistent. One morning, the innkeeper takes pity on your ignorance, and gives you a large sack full of yuan; the unpaid wages for all of your hard work. She sends you off in the direction of the forest, and bids you farewell. The trek through the forest lasts for the entire day, and as you maneuver through the thick brush, you remember all of the happy times you had with your family, and think gleefully about how great everything will be once you're back where you belong."**

**"You eventually reach your home, and it looks just like you remember it. However, before you can walk towards the front door, you hear the sound of laughter coming from inside. This confuses you. They shouldn't be happy, not with you still missing...**

**Curiously, you move towards one of the side windows, and peek inside. Seated at the same chair that you used to use, is a young girl. Your parents are crowded around her, showering her with love and kisses. Your parents look different from what you remember, and as you pull away from the window, you see your reflection for the first time since you left home.**

**You realize in that moment, that more time has passed since you left than you thought. You've grown, and so has the world around you.**

**There may not be a place for you here anymore.**

**You're sure that if you go back the way you came, you could make a comfortable living using the money that the innkeeper gave to you. It may not be the most comfortable life, but it would be yours. The people here are happy as they are, and while you could reintroduce yourself to your family, you being here would still change things forever... Though you aren't sure if that would be a good thing, or a bad thing.**

**But... what if you took your place again? Made that little girl disappear like you did so long ago? If your parents are so desperate for love and happiness in their lives, then they would have to take you back when you showed up... right? Is it worth breaking up a happy family to satisfy your own needs?"**

"Tell me Nyx... if you were in this person's shoes... _**What would you do?**_"

[] Return to town, and make a living on your own.

[] Knock on the door, and introduce yourself as their long-lost child.

[] Make their new daughter disappear, and then take her place.

**[X] Write-in. Introduce yourself as their long lost child, catch up with the missing years, and return to town to make a living on your own, letting them visit you whenever they want.**


	33. Arc 2: Part 30

To say that Nile's question takes you by surprise would be a severe understatement. It takes you almost an entire minute to process the story that you just heard, and even more time to comprehend what's being asked of you.

"...I don't even know wh-wh-where to start with this."

"You can start with an honest answer." Nile responds.

You take a moment to gather your thoughts, then reply.

"If I c-c-could, I would sit d-down with my family, and tell th-th-them where I've b-been."

"...You're assuming that they'll even believe your story." Nile's tone takes on a sharp tone, and you wince at the sudden change.

She continues a moment later.

"What if they turn you away before you have a chance to explain yourself?"

"T-Then I'll leave, and try to make a new life. I'd tell them about the town, j-j-just in case they changed their minds."

"You'd leave? Just like that? Really?" Nile's voice is full of doubt. "And what about their new daughter?"

.

..

...You remain silent. She had completely slipped your mind when you were coming up with your response.

Nile sighs.

"...Did you give any thought at all about how she might feel about such a sudden upheaval in her life?"

"They're m-m-m-my family as much as th-they are hers."

"Nyx, That's not an answer." Nile states flatly.

You feel yourself starting to grow irritated by Nile's criticisms.

"What do you w-w-want me to say? Of course I care about her feelings, b-but..."

"Just not as much as yours, is that it?"

You tighten your grip on the phone in your hand.

"No. D-D-Don't t-t-twist my words like that." You grit your teeth as you struggle to keep your temper in check. Tony is watching you with a concerned look that is very out of place on a tiny oni.

You take a deep breath.

"You're right... I was thinking about m-m-myself first... but that d-d-doesn't mean that I wouldn't want her to be happy! I just..."

You struggle to find the words.

"I don't think I c-c-could live with myself if I went all that way, and didn't at least try to reconnect with them... Plus, h-h-having a sister would be..."

You pause as you think on your own childhood. You were always somewhat withdrawn growing up, and you can't help but wonder how many things in your life would have gone differently if you had someone else to share the experience of growing up with.

"It would be n-nice."

"...Do you really believe that things would resolve themselves without conflict? What if your sister and father accept you, but your mother doesn't? What if your 'sister' isn't keen on the idea of an older sibling, and feels threatened by your presence?"

Nile throws several more questions at you, each in a similar vein, all of which are meant to make you question your stance.

However, you remain undeterred.

"It doesn't matter, Nile. N-N-None of that does. All that matters, is that I made it as f-f-far as I could, and tried my hardest to make things w-w-work. I wouldn't expect everything to end p-p-p-perfectly, but that doesn't mean I can't hope for the best!"

You hear a long sigh from Nile.

.

..

...

"I appreciate you putting up with my questions, Nyx. I believe I may have misjudged your character; and I sincerely hope that you'll be able to hold onto that resolve of yours."

You have no idea how to interpret this statement.

"W-What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'm going to take a look at Io's future now."

Your core nearly leaps out of your chest, and Nile's blatant topic dodge is instantly forgotten. You adjust yourself in your seat, and prop your elbows against the reception desk.

"Thank you, Nile..."

You can't think of anything more meaningful to say.

Nile's response however, is very grave.

"Nyx... I'm going to do a reading right now, but before I begin, I must stress that **what I am about to tell you is not set in stone.** Are you still certain that you wish to know?"

"_Please..._"

You can't stand just how desperate and needy our voice sounds, but this has been weighing on your mind for a long time now.

You need to know.

"...I understand. Give me one moment."

You hear Nile set the phone down, followed by several sharp bursts of static feedback. You recoil, and quickly move your ear away from the receiver until the noises fade.

You can hear Nile breathing deeply on the other end, but she makes no attempt to say anything to you.

"H-Hello?"

She does not reply.

"N-Nile? You're scaring me..."

.

.

.

.

Nile breaks her silence by sighing again.

It's a deep, mournful sigh.

"As things are... Seven days from now, Io's core will suddenly stop burning. The doctors assigned to her will notice it in time to notify everyone... so they can be present for her last moments. When she finally passes on, she does so with a smile on her face... and you holding her. She dies feeling loved."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Nyx?"

You can't respond.

It feels like there's a giant weight on your chest, and you struggle to breathe.

"Nyx, speak to me. Remember what I said!" You can hear the anxiety in her voice; she clearly regrets telling you what she saw.

You regret asking her.

Your vision is growing hazy. There's something wet streaming down both sides of your face, and you think you're about to faint, but none of that matters right now.

You hear several voices calling your name, but all that you can focus on is what you've just been told.

In seven days, Io is going to die.

It doesn't matter to you that her passing will be peaceful, all that matters is that she'll be gone.

_ **And you'll be alone again.** _

"-old of yourself, man!"

Someone grabs you by your collar and starts shaking you violently until your vision clears. The feeling in your chest dissipates, and you gasp for air. You blink away the tears in your eyes, and see Tony staring back at you. He carefully pries the phone from your hands, and says something into the receiver that you can't quite make out.

Tony hangs up the phone, then turns back towards you. He takes several breaths before smacking his lips.

"...I told her to call back. You hungry?"

You're still too shell-shocked to answer, and you stare at him blankly.

He picks up the phone, and starts dialing a number.

"...Hey man. Uh... I wanna make an order for delivery. Uh-huh. Yeah... I'll hold, man."

Tony takes a seat on top of the desk, and lets his feet dangle off the edge.

You wipe your face with the sleeve of your jacket, then lean back in your chair to stare up at the ceiling. As you take another deep breath, your body shudders, and you can feel another wave of tears threatening to spill out.

"Hey."

You slowly look back down towards Tony.

He still looks legitimately concerned.

"...Wanna talk about it, man?"

**[X] Talk about it.**

[] Don't talk about it.

[] Write-in.


	34. Arc 2: Part 31

You sniffle, and wipe your face again before nodding your head. This is all too much to take in right now, and you need to talk to someone about it.

"M-M-M-M-My friend... she's not d-d-doing too well..."

Tony gives you a pitying look.

"Sorry to hear that, man. Is it something that she might get better from?"

You almost shake your head, but remember what Nile said to you, and think better of it.

"...Maybe."

Tony jumps onto your lap, and places a hand on his hip. He actually weighs much less than you thought he would.

"Then that means you gotta stay positive ‘til she gets better!" He exclaims. "Do it for her, man!"

You sigh, but you can't find it in yourself to disagree with his statement. He's right.

"I know, b-b-but it's just-"

Suddenly, Tony's head perks up, and he turns his attention back to the phone.

"Hang on a sec- Uh, yeah! Still here, man. Yeah that'll be going to the Mog wing at Harbei Hospital. Yeah, that'll be cash. Uh huh."

He pauses, then places his hand over the phone while looking towards you.

"I'm orderin' some fish; you want yours with fries, or nah?"

You blink in surprise. It's been some time since you last ate seafood.

"F-Fries sound good."

Tony grins, then flashes a quick wink at you before returning to his call.

"Okay, uhhhhh, lemme get two orders of fried flooper with fries, and a large redgill stew with an extra bowl and two spoons. Uh-huh. Nah, we're good for drinks, man. Okay. Yeah. Thanks."

Tony hangs up the phone, then rubs his hands together in anticipation.

"The lady said they'll send someone over in an hour. So anyway!"

He hops off of your lap, and back onto the desktop. He lets go of the phone in his hand, and the cord snaps it back into place on the receiver.

"So ghobo... are you gonna be good?"

"Why do y-y-you even care?"

There’s no maliciousness in your words. You're admittedly a little put off by Tony's surprisingly supportive attitude thus far, and you're curious to understand where it's coming from.

Tony response is a simple shrug.

"Why wouldn't I? You look miserable, man. Heck, you always look miserable whenever I run into you. What's wrong with wantin' to cheer someone up?"

You don't have any response for that. You remain silent, until Tony continues.

"We're all in life together, man. No point in tryin' to keep people down. Gotta pull each other up, y'know?"

"You're p-pretty well spoken for a T-T-Tiny Oni."

Tony raises an eyebrow at your comment.

"Not gonna lie, that sounds really racist. Are you sayin' I'm supposed to act like a savage, man?"

You tug at the collar of your shirt, feeling a little uncomfortable at the direction this conversation has started to take.

"S-Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. I'm just callin' it like I see it, man."

You suck your teeth in response.

"Don't b-b-be like that; most of you do whatever you want, and don't care about anything else."

Tony gives you a very pointed look.

"Yeaaaah, but I'm pretty sure that we don't go around kidnapping people out of their beds, either."

.

..

... You have no response to this.

"That's what I thought, man."

"I'm sorry."

Tony shrugs, then offers you a small smile.

"Eh. I'm not that torn up about it, Tiny Oni Island was gettin' kinda boring. Besides, I'm sure it wasn't your idea!"

He puffs his chest out, and his smile turns into a full blown grin.

"Forgive and move on! That's my motto, man. Can't stay hung up on everything in the past!"

"...F-Forgive and move on, huh? That's really b-b-b-big of you, Tony."

"Only way for Mogs like you and me to live, man."

You scrunch your face at this, not quite understanding what he means by that. Tony seems to notice the confusion on your face, and expands his point.

"I'm talkin' about second-class Mogs like us; don't act like you don't know what I mean. You're a Wisp, right? I bet no one ever took you seriously till you went all Reaper, and started bustin' heads. Ain't any different for me, man. I've been around the block, and even after all the stuff I've seen, I still don't get no respect."

"How old a-a-are you, Tony?"

Tony shrugs, and moves back towards to coffee machine. He replaces the filter, and adds a fresh helping of coffee beans, before setting it up to brew another batch.

"Doesn't matter, man. I don't even care about any of that stuff anymore. I just wanna live my life, man."

Much to your surprise, Tony's words resonate with you. You place a hand on his shoulder. And offer him a pained smile.

"I think I k-know what you mean. Thanks, T-T-Tony, I actually feel a little better now."

Tony looks back at you in confusion.

"You sure, man? I mean, we barely even talked about your friend."

"No, b-b-but you reminded me about the most imp-p-portant thing right n-now. I need to stay positive."

You offer him your hand.

"So th-thanks for that."

He stares at your hand, then grins as he takes it between both of his hands for a handshake.

"You're alright, ghobo!"

You roll your eyes.

"Yeah, y-you too, Tony."

**\---Affinity raised with Tony---**

_(You've gained the "Vibe Check" perk. At any point during a choice with a write-in, Nyx may now attempt to ascertain the motives of any person that she might be engaged in conversation with.)_

You let go of Tony's hand, and he goes back to watching the coffee brew. A question occurs to you, and you turn back towards him to ask it.

"Hey Tony, wh-where's Ven gone off t-t-to, anyway?"

He turns away from the coffee machine to face you, but before he can respond, you feel a familiar (and uncomfortable) presence looming in front of the desk.

You raise your head up, and see Beck waiting patiently. She waves her hand, and gives you a half-smile.

"Hey. It's just about lunch time. You got a minute to talk?"

Tony, hops back onto the floor, and plods away and down the hall without a single word.

You look back towards Beck with a sigh, and nod your head.

"Fine. C-C-Coffee?"

"Nah, I'm only gonna be here for a minute."

She steps behind the desk, and shoves her hands into her pockets. Despite her healthy-looking frame, she seems to be very nervous about something, and won't meet your gaze directly.

"So..." She begins. "You and Io, huh?" In place of her usual laid-back tone, there is one that wouldn't sound too out of place coming from an overly concerned parent.

"Y-Yeah."

Beck sucks her teeth at your response, and nods several times.

"You know, I didn't believe her at first when she said that you two started dating. I'm honestly really happy for you two."

"Thanks."

Beck lets out a nervous laugh, then runs a hand over her hair, stopping to flick the brim of her visor with a finger.

"I mean, I know she's older than me, and so are you... but I'm just... worried, you know? I remember all the times that you refused to give Io the time of day, and now all of a sudden, you're head over heels for her?"

She takes a step toward you, and the aura radiating off of her weighs down on you, causing you to flinch subconsciously.

"So, I just wanna know, Nyx: why wait till now when she's sick to start paying her any attention?"

You swallow the lump in your throat. Beck lifts her eyes up from the floor, and once you see them, you're able to relax a little. There's no anger or ill intent in them; only concern.

You decide to answer her as best as you can.

"Io has been a real g-g-good friend to me. Better than I deserve... We had a fight out in the woods last month, and aft-t-ter that, we had a real long talk t-t-too. She helped me start figuring out how to m-m-move on with my life, and I realized then... j-j-j-just how m-m-much I appreciate her."

You shake your head apologetically.

"I really wish that I c-could have figured it out before t-t-this happened. I really do. But I..."

You feel a blush rising on your face, but you push through the embarrassment to say how you really feel.

"...But I love her, Beck."

Beck stares into your eyes for several uncomfortable seconds. She moves closer, and her face becomes grave.

"I want you to promise me that you won't ever do anything to hurt her."

"...What?"

Beck shakes her head.

"I'm not trying to barter for my blessing or anything dumb like that. I just... I just want to know that you're always going to do right by her once she gets better."

The way that she speaks seems to insinuate that she knows something about your inability to move on past your Eve. You've never spoken to her about it, and you can't help but wonder if Io mentioned it to her in hopes of getting some advice from her Conjurer.

Whatever the case, Beck's impression of your relationship doesn't seem to be very favorable.

Her face is almost pleading now.

"Promise me that no matter what, you'll never do anything to make her cry."

What will you do?

**[X] Promise.**

[] Don't Promise.


	35. Arc 2: Part 32

You close your eyes, and take a deep breath, letting the weight of Beck's request wash over you.

She's worried about Io's well being, just like you are; and you have no intention of doing anything to hurt her. Ever.

She means the world to you.

When you open your eyes, you see Beck hunched over you in the same position as before.

You exhale, and fight back your discomfort long enough to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Beck, I p-p-p-promise you... for as long as Io and I are t-t-t-together, I won't hurt her."

The intensity of Beck's stare lets up almost instantly, and she takes a step back to put some room between the two of you. She sighs sadly, and nods her head.

"...I'm sorry, that was probably way outta nowhere, huh? I'm just really worried about her, you know?"

You say nothing, and Beck chuckles uncomfortably before running a hand through her hair again.

"Ah geez... what was I thinking?"

You decide to throw her a lifeline.

"You w-w-were just thinking about Io. She's lucky to h-h-h-have you as a C-C-C-Conjurer."

She smiles at your words. It's a pained smile, but a genuine one, nonetheless.

"If anything, I'm the lucky one. Io's been with me for a long time now. Back when I was really sick... I wanted to just... give up. She wouldn't let me though; Io believed in me the whole way through, and I wouldn't be here right now without her."  
  


Beck sucks in a breath of air between her teeth, then lets it out just as quick. She seems to be anxious about something.

"...That's why seein' her like this... really messes me up."

The tears spring to her eyes without warning, and you feel a pang of sympathy as she quickly wipes them away.

"I'm trying my best to be positive about it, because I know that's what she'd want... But I'm scared, Nyx. I really don't know if she-"

You quickly get out of your seat and pull her in for a tight hug. She hesitates at first, but she eventually wraps her arms around you.

You can't let her finish that sentence. For her sake, and yours.

"She'll be okay. We j-j-just have to stay strong f-for her."

You hate how easily the lie comes to you, but it seems to have had the desired effect. She lets go of you with a sigh, and nods.

"Yeah... Yeah, you're right. Thanks. I think I really needed to hear that right now."

"D-D-Don't mention it."

A nurse passes by the desk, and drops several sheets of paper into one of the bins on the desk before walking off. It's probably something that needs to be signed.

"E-E-Excuse me."

You turn away from Beck, grab the stamp kit, and then pick up the first piece of paper.

.  
.  
.

You can't make heads or tails of what any of the terminology means, but you place the stamp down on the paper like Quinn showed you anyway. You place the paper in the outgoing pile, then repeat the process for the next couple of sheets.

You place the stamp kit back where you found it, then turn back towards Beck.

"Sorry about th-th-that."

She shakes her head, and smiles.

"Nah, don't apologize; I'm the one eating into your busy schedule."

You shrug.

"Honestly, th-th-th-this is the first real b-bit of work I've done all d-d-day so far."

"Yeah, but I should probably get going all the same. Nyx?"

"Yeah?"

Beck pauses for a moment before answering.

"...Thanks for hearing me out. And I'm sorry for doubting you."

She turns on her heel and walks around the desk, and back out the front door.

You watch her leave until the doors slide shut again.

...You aren't sure how you feel about what just transpired between you two, but it seems like Beck was satisfied with your answer.

"Hey man, you done yet?"

You turn around, and see Tony sitting next to the coffee machine.

You cut him a dirty look.

"You d-d-d-ditched me!"

Tony holds his hands up.

"I thought you two were gonna talk about some important stuff. I'm not tryin' to be a third wheel, man..."

You sigh, and kick back in your chair. You feel surprisingly less stressed than you did a few minutes ago.

"Whatever... How long ‘til the f-f-food gets here? I'm actually p-p-pretty hungry."

"I told you, it's gonna be a while! Sheesh, man..."

The front door opens again before you can voice your retort. You watch as an exhausted looking Quinn makes a beeline straight for the desk. She steps around to your side, then looks at Tony.

.  
.  
.

"Coffee me."

"Comin' right up, man."  
  


As Tony pours a cup for her, you turn back to the door, and see two more people walk through.

The first is Ven, and she seems to be engaged in a discussion with the person that she's walking with. You turn back to Quinn, and see her eagerly knocking back a cup of coffee while Tony stares with wide eyes.

When she finishes, you offer her a small wave.

"How d-did it go?"

Quinn blinks at you as if she's only just now noticing your presence. She exhales, and places her mug back on the counter before offering you an uplifting smile.

"It took some serious doing, but it went great! Burke's gonna sign on as our replacement!"

She grabs your hands and starts jumping up and down, laughing happily all the while.

That coffee sure does act fast...

"W-W-W-W-Wait! Not so h-h-hard!"

She quickly lets go of you, and you take a second to readjust yourself in the chair again.

"Who's Burke?"

"Oh, that would be me."

You hear a voice behind you that you don't recognize, and quickly turn around in your seat.

Staring back at you, is the ghost of Yorshk Voso.

"_**AGH!**_"

You reel back so hard, that your chair tips over. You shut your eyes and brace for the fall.

"Hold on, I've got you!"

You feel something soft and squishy wrap itself around your torso, and pull you up out of the seat before it hits the ground.

When you open your eyes again, you realize that you're being held bridal style by a Kunekune tendril. You look upwards, and see the ghost looking down at you with a concerned look on her face.

"I didn't mean to startle you so badly. Are you alright?"

...You examine her face, you start to feel extremely embarrassed by your reaction.

Yorshk's eyes were yellow, but this woman's are a bright emerald green.

This must be her mother.

"Uh..."

"Just a second, let me put you down."

The world inverts for a moment until you're placed back on the ground in an upright position. You take a second to steady yourself, then turn to face the woman.

She's taller than you by several inches; six if you had to guess. Whereas Yorshk's hair was a voluminous and unkempt mess of pink and white, hers is shock-white, (likely from her age) and ends at a much more manageable length; stopping just before her shoulders, and styled into a bobcut full of meticulously maintained curls. The way that it frames her face reminds you of a weeping willow tree.

Her figure is nearly identical to her daughter's, and if they were standing together right now, you would've had some difficulty telling them apart, save for their height, hair, and eye color. She's dressed in a faded pair of denim overalls, and brown rubber boots caked in mud. It's not at all dissimilar to what Liang wears whenever he prunes the shrubs outside of the store. Her white blouse however, looks considerably more well kept. It looks to be made of a very high-quality material, though you aren't sure what it is. Stitched into the right sleeve are the words "Voso's Vigors" written in an elaborate black font.

"The way you're staring at me... I must look a mess right now."

You blush, and quickly stammer out an apology.

"S-S-S-Sorry! I didn't realize I was staring! I s-s-swear!"

She smiles warmly in your direction, and you can see several laugh lines near her lips.

"Oh, I know you meant nothing by it. You probably don't see Mogwai like myself very often~"

She daintily places a hand over her mouth, and chuckles.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to excuse the attire for the time being. I didn't have time to get changed, as Miss Zaleos here made it very clear that there was no time to waste."

Quinn slides into your field of vision next to her, and grins.

"So this is Burke Voso, and she's agreed to be our new head doctor!"

She takes a step towards you, and does a little flourish with her hands in your direction.

"And this is my friend Nyx! She's the one I was telling you about!"

Burke closes the distance and offers you her hand.

"Pleased to meet you!"

Her greeting is both warm, and genuine and you feel an immediate need to respond in kind.

You take her hand and give it a firm shake.

"N-N-N-Nice to m-m-meet y-you too..."

A heavy blush rises to your face as your stutter rears it's ugly head. Burke seems to notice your discomfort, and pats you twice on the head.

"Ah!"

The sensation feels extremely nice, and you can't stand the fact that it does.

"There, there. It's nothing to be ashamed of!"

She pats your head again.

You cannot deal with this level of discomfort. You quickly take a step back before she can do it again, and she giggles under her hand once more.

"Hmhmhm~ I suppose I should go and get settled in."

Quinn nods her head, and points in the direction of the offices.

"That's a good idea. Your daug-erm... Yorshk's old office is down that way if you want to get settled in."

You watch as Quinn hands Burke a keycard which she accepts. The two exchange words, but they're speaking too low for you to hear them. Once they've finished, Burke turns to give you another smile before setting off in the direction of the office.

You notice the hesitance in Quinn's voice when bringing up Yorshk, but rather than dwell on it, you decide to ask her a different question.

"Wh-where's Frey?"

Quinn's smile shrinks a little.

"She went straight home. The trip took a lot out of her, but she's okay."

Her expression says otherwise, but you decide not to pry, and wait for her to continue.

"We actually ran into Ven on the way there. It turns out we had the same idea, actually!"

You look back towards the desk, and see Tony and Ven having an animated conversation. Ven looks considerably more worn since the last time you saw her.

Quinn taps you on the shoulder, and you turn your attention back towards her.

"I know I said it before, but thank you, Nyx. I really owe you one."

You shake your head, and smile.

"Don't worry about it. J-J-Just focus on getting this place back in shape f-for now..."

"I will! In any case, I'm back, so you can head home if you like!"

You take a moment to consider your options.

It might be a good idea to go home and recharge. You still have to deal with Caesar later.

Then again, Tony did order lunch for the two of you, and it might be a good idea to get caught up with Ven before she leaves... chances are Tony will leave once she does. Maybe you can convince her to talk over lunch?

You could always stay with Quinn and catch up on everything that happened. You get the feeling that quite a lot transpired... and you still need to talk to her about the Umibozu that tried to break in earlier.

What will you do?

[] Take the sewer path home - You at least want to get some rest before talking with Caesar once he calls for you.

[] Go for lunch with Ven and Tony - you're starving, and you haven't spoken to Ven in some time. It's a win-win any way you look at it.

**[X] Stay at the reception desk with Quinn - It's the responsible thing to do, and you do have a couple of things that you need to go over with her.**


	36. Arc 2: Part 33

As much as you would like to catch up with Ven, there are still a few housekeeping issues that you need to take care of with Quinn before you can consider leaving.

"A-A-Actually, I need to talk to you about some th-th-things that happened while you were gone."

Quinn gives you a curious look.

"Sure thing! Can you give me a few minutes to get settled in first?"

"Of c-course."

As she takes a seat behind the desk, you turn your attention back to Ven. She still hasn't left, so now might be a good moment to try and start a conversation with her. You walk towards her and Tony, and the former turns towards you with a tired smile.

"Nyx! What a surprise! I can't say I was expecting to see you here. How have you been?"

You give her an honest answer.

"It's been r-r-rough, but I'm doing my b-b-b-best. How about you?"

Ven's face falls. Tony looks as though he wants to say something, but he remains silent.

"...I've been better, but now is neither the time nor place to dwell on such things. Tony here says you two were waiting for lunch?"

You nod, and Ven flashes Tony a very stern look.

"I'm curious Tony... how exactly were you going to pay for everything?"

Tony shrugs.

"...Dine and dash? I unno, man."

You groan while Ven places a hand to her temple, and sighs.

"Were you really going to just leave Nyx with the bill? Honestly Tony..."

"I would've figured somethin' out, man. Can we go now?"

Ven reaches under her cap, and pulls out several hundred yuan bills. She thrusts them into Tony’s hands with an annoyed huff.

"I'm heading home, but you are going to stay right here until your order comes."

"What?!" Tony screeches. "But come on, man!"

"I won't have any of it; you need to be a Mog of your word, Tony."

Tony casts his gaze to the floor, and you could swear that his face is even redder than usual... if that's even possible.

"Forget about the food, man... I'm just... worried about you."

Ven's face softens, and she clenches her hands against her chest. She kneels down to eye level with Tony, and gives him a pat on the head.

"I will be home when you come back, you have my word. So please, don't worry too much about me."

"...Kay."

She smiles warmly at him, then turns back towards you.

"I suppose I should be going. Please feel free to stop by whenever you find the time, Nyx. It would be nice to have some company."

She gives you a small curtsy, then walks out the front door. You turn towards Tony, who still has his gaze turned towards the floor.

"Y-Y-You okay?"

It takes him a moment to register that you're talking to him. He sighs, then looks back towards you.

"She blames herself for what happened, even if she don't wanna say it out loud."

"Why? S-She wasn't even there..."

Tony sighs.

"Yeah, but she's the one that got those other two involved."

"...You mean Wake and Y-Yorshk?"

"Yeah."

"Oh..."

You go silent at this. You were curious to know how they had gotten onboard the Tenebro to begin with, but in the wake of everything that happened, the question didn't seem all that important. If what Tony said is true, then you can only imagine how guilty Ven must feel...

"Hey man? I'm gonna walk around for a bit. I gotta clear my head."

He walks down a random hallway without waiting for a response, and you make no attempt to stop him. You can respect his need for space.

You head back towards the reception desk. Quinn has already made herself comfortable, and is sipping from her coffee mug. As she places it down, her eyes meet yours, and she offers you a pleased smile.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

You start by updating her on Wire's status, as well as the impending visit from the Wukong sisters. You also mention that Big Sean had been recovering from a surgery when you tried to visit him. Quinn nods silently as you relay the information to her.

"Okay, was there anything else?"

"Yeah, actually. Some w-w-w-weird lady broke into Yorshk's office. I ch-chased her off, but I-"

"**_WHAT?_**" Quinn all but screams. It's the first time she's ever truly raised her voice at you, and you're more than a little unnerved...

"And you're just telling me this _now?!_ What did she look like? What did she want? What-"

You put your hands on both of Quinn's shoulders, in an attempt to calm her down. She stops talking long enough for you to get a word in.

"It's okay. N-N-No one got hurt, other than some f-f-furniture. I m-m-m-managed to get her name and number too."

You hand Ule's business card over to Quinn, who looks it over for a moment. She wordlessly hands it back to you, then scribbles down the number.

"I'm gonna talk to security about this, and see if I can get them to look her up; is there anything else that you can tell me?"

You do your best to describe the woman as you remember her, taking care to note that you were able to identify her as an Umibozu. Quinn writes down everything that you say, then looks at you gratefully.

"Okay, I think we can do something with what you've given me. Nyx, I know I said it before, but I owe you big. Really."

"Not r-really... It's my fault that she made it past the desk to b-b-begin with..."

"What?"

You explain to her that left the desk unmanned for a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the patients in the wing.

To your surprise, Quinn doesn't look upset.

"Nyx, the fact that you even felt a need to do something like that tells me that I definitely left everyone here in good hands."

You blush at this, and Quinn responds by giving you a quick hug.

"I appreciate you being honest about this. Everything worked out in the end, so don't worry about it!"

"Thanks, Quinn..."

The sound of an alarm blares over the speakers, startling the both of you apart. As the alarm continues to sound off, you watch as several doctors run into a single room in the middle of one of the hallways. You share a brief look with Quinn before the both of you head in the direction of the commotion.

Upon reaching the doorway, you realize that this is the room they were keeping Big Sean in. The sound of loud, pained grunts reaches your ears, and you push through the crowd of doctors to see several nurses struggling to keep Sean restrained as he thrashes about.

His eyes are rolled up into the back of his head, and he doesn't seem to be aware of his surroundings.

"What happened?" You hear Quinn cry out. One of the nurses quickly stammers out a reply.

"I d-d-don't know! We put on an IV bag, and he suddenly started going nuts!"

The monitor next to his bed starts beeping at an extremely fast rate. You have no idea what it means, but it can't be good...

"His core's burning too hot! He's gonna crash if we don't get that temperature down!"

"Please move aside."

The sound of Burke's voice cuts above the din, and everyone quickly turns their attention towards the doorway as she steps inside. Her overalls and boots have been replaced by a pair of beige loafers, and a black pleated skirt that ends near her ankles. A freshly pressed doctor's coat covers the white blouse that she wore when you last saw her, making her look every bit the medical professional she's been made out to be.

Despite the calm tone of her voice, Burke's face is set in a grim frown. Several tendrils shoot out from the floor without warning, and effortlessly restrain Sean to the bed. Quinn steps forward, and grabs the medical chart clipped to the foot of the bed and begins reading.

"It says here that he was admitted the other day for a severe reaction to a blogfish bite. His condition worsened overnight, and minor surgery was performed to remove several layers of core lining."

You watch as Burke nods while removing the IV connected to his wrist. A kappa in a doctor's coat cries out immediately.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Burke only casts him a passing glance as she puts on a pair of rubber gloves.

"Saving his life. Blogfish poison takes several days to leave the system, but an increase in salt levels can cause the toxins to become extremely volatile. Did any of you even bother to check this chart before you put him on fluids?"

"Hey, get off our backs lady, we're not even getting paid for this."

"That is **_no _**excuse to shirk your responsibilities. What if I wasn't here to catch your mistake? This young man runs the risk of dying because of your negligence."

The nurses and doctors look away, clearly ashamed of their actions. You can only assume that they were in a rush due to being understaffed.

"It doesn't matter right now. I need one of you to help me make an incision along his chest; his core is too hot for me to pull it out directly."

As if on cue, Sean jerks against his restraints and nearly breaks free, but Burke quickly tightens her grip.

"Did none of you hear me? I said I need help making an incision!"

Her voice takes on an irritated edge, but you see no one other than Quinn move closer to help. Burke's eyes meet yours, and she beckons you over with a wave of her hand.

"Nyx, I hate to ask this of you, but I could use your help, if you're willing."

You move closer to the bed, flinching slightly as Sean struggles against the tendrils holding him in place.

"I'm sure you can tell, but this young man is going into shock, and I need to get his core temperature down. Can you prep some ice while I get him ready?"

Before you can respond, you hear Quinn call out.

"Nyx could probably get him open fast than any of us!"

Burke looks at you curiously.

"Is this true?"

You hesitate for a moment before nodding... However, she seems to pick up on your reluctance.

"I won't make you do anything that you aren't comfortable with, but time is not on our side! **_Please hurry!_**"

...You've just been placed in a very sensitive position, and your choice could very well determine whether or not Sean survives past the next few minutes.

Your scythe is more than capable of opening his chest, however, with the way he's thrashing around, you aren't sure that you can make a clean incision without hurting him...

It may be safer to just prep the ice like Burke suggested in the first place, but you don't know how long it'll take for her to open him up, and it might be too late by then...

What will you do? (**Big Sean is in mortal danger.**)

[] Make the incision - Getting his core exposed quickly is the most important thing right now.

[] Prep the ice, and stay on standby - You should play this safe; Burke and Quinn are the professionals. Let them take the lead, while you support them however you can.


End file.
